Review of Cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents.

Reviews the book, Cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents by T.C. R. Wilkes, Gayle Belsher, A. John Rush, and Ellen Frank (see record 1994-98433-000). This book offers chapters on adaption of cognitive therapy for depressed adolescents, ten key principles of adolescent cognitive therapy, diagnosis and assessment, developmental considerations, the therapeutic relationship, family involvement, the initial phase, the middle phase, the final phase, three comorbidity chapters (substance abuse, sexual victimization, suicidal adolescents), hospitalized adolescents, psychopharmacological treatment, and treatment failures. The sequence of chapters makes perfect sense, and despite four senior authors and five co-authors, it is as if one master hand prevails. The writing never wavers—crisp, flowing, and superbly readable. Whenever possible, adolescent and adult therapy of depression are contrasted, and at times, techniques effective or ineffective for early and late adolescents are cited. One might say the current work is a downward extension of the 1979 Beck book, with developmental considerations and family therapy included. This manual motivates me to reread Beck, Burns, Piaget, Bowlby, and the Socratic method series of papers in this Journal (Overholser). Manuals such as this should result in improved supervision. Finally, Drs. Wilkes, Belsher, Rush, Frank, and their associates (Drs. David A. Brent, Graham J. Emslie, Miriam S. Lerner, Anthony Nowels, Warren A. Weinberg) provide this reviewer with one more humility and awe inducing experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Catalytic effect of cobalt on the carburization kinetics of tungsten

The kinetics of the gas-phase carburization of tungsten by methane were studied and found to be controlled by two surface reactions and a later diffusion limiting reaction. The two surface reactions were found to produce the compounds W₂C and W₂C-WC respectively. The diffusion limiting reaction produced only WC. Extensive carburization caused cracking of the tungsten material. Cobalt was found to form a thin film on each tungsten surface which was easily converted to eta-phase (Co₃W₃C) when carburization began. A model was proposed and kinetic equations were developed which predict the rate of reaction for both cylinders and powders. The reaction rate curves for the uncatalyzed reaction using the same equations was also developed. CHARLES F. DAVIDSON, formerly with Fansteel Research Center, Salt Lake City, Utah     

Some pitfalls in psychological theorizing.

"The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to certain examples of confusing psychological statements. These could be classified as involving circularity, lack of parsimony, and indefinite regress. It is hoped that pointing to these examples will lead to their avoidance… . Explanations must lie outside of the thing explained… . It seems to us that, before we invoke a new term, we are obligated to consider whether we are adding unnecessarily to an already unparsimonious state of affairs… . The mere fact that one uses a new term implies that there is a difference, and it seems to us this carries with it the obligation to make the difference explicit. What is particularly unfortunate is the fact that failure to do so is often associated with a disregard for the work of others on essentially the same problem… . A greater regard for parsimony would probably lead to unification rather than fragmentation of research findings." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Community mental health: Corpse or phoenix? Personal reflections on an era.

The death of community mental health practice has been predicted for many years. In the US, the community mental health era began in the mid-19th century. However, the movement reached its height, conceptually and programmatically, in the national program of the 1960s and 1970s. Ideological shifts have led to its decline since that time. Nevertheless, the contributions of the community mental health movement have permeated the current service structure, and the future rise of more community mental health activities appears inevitable. These trends are traced in a personal odyssey through the era. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychological/mediation intervention model.

Psychological/mediation intervention (PMI), a form of single-session psychotherapy, is presented as a flexible approach suitable for use in a variety of situations involving interpersonal conflict. The dual objectives are first resolution of the immediate conflict and second, as a preventative measure, alteration of the interactional pattern that gave rise to the difficulties. PMI is contrasted with 3 types of increasingly used forms of mediation—divorce, issue-centered, and neighborhood mediation. The procedures of PMI, designed to meet the 2 objectives, are described and illustrated for each of its 6 stages: introducing the concept and methods, creating a safe atmosphere, establishing a therapeutic contract, engaging in social learning instruction, finding solutions, and evaluating the session. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)