bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Development in Adulthood
Authors: Dixon Roger A. , Cohen Anna‐Lisa
Published: November 2003

The term, “cognitive aging,” is typically used to refer to the area of developmental psychology focusing on the study of cognitive changes from young adulthood to very late life. Among the developmental processes of interest are those that reflect cognitive functioning, such as intelligence, memory, and reasoning. An underlying assumption is that cognition is used in different ways to accomplish different goals throughout adulthood, but that it is always a central component of one's concept of self—past, present, and future—and one's adjustment to challenges of everyday life. This area of lifespan developmental research is a particularly active one, in that it is at the crossroads of both classic theoretical questions and important issues of individual and social application.

In this chapter, we summarize selected leading issues in the field of cognitive aging. These include: (1) intelligence and patterns of intellectual aging, (2) differential profiles associated with the “aging” of various systems of memory, (3) new topics in such memory‐related domains as metamemory and social‐interactive memory, and (4) emerging research in such novel domains as wisdom, creativity, compensation, and plasticity. We conclude that, because cognitive aging involves developmental processes that range from the neurological through the individual to the social levels of analyses, it will continue for the foreseeable future to fascinate scholars and anyone else who is curious about how and why cognitive changes occur throughout adulthood.
Disabilities and Development
Authors: Hauser‐Cram Penny , Howell Angela
Published: November 2003

This chapter focuses on theoretical and empirical approaches to the development of young children with biologically based developmental disabilities. The chapter begins with a discussion of the difficulties in constructing definitions of disabilities and developing appropriate diagnostic criteria for young children. It includes a discussion of the history of attitudes about children with disabilities from the perspective of developmental psychology. Next, current theoretical perspectives and empirical studies on children with developmental disabilities and their families are examined. Both longitudinal studies and contextually based cross‐sectional studies of children with developmental disabilities are discussed. Research on the family's influences on the development of children with disabilities has largely focused on the importance of growth‐promoting maternal interaction. Research on the way in which the child with a disability affects families, including fathers and siblings, has tended to focus on deleterious outcomes, although current work recognizes the importance of the strength of the family system. Despite a growing recognition that culture is the frame in which children develop, few have investigated how cultural conceptions of development relate to parenting a child with a disability. The chapter concludes with reflections on potential directions for future work and implications for policies and programs.
Health and Human Development
Authors: Connell Cathleen M. , Janevic Mary R.
Published: November 2003

A life‐span developmental perspective can enhance our understanding of the determinants of health behaviors across life stages and suggest appropriate strategies for intervention. In this chapter, the biological, cognitive, and social developmental influences on health behaviors during five life stages—infancy, childhood, adolescence, midlife, and older adulthood—are explored. Examples of these influences from the empirical literature on physical activity and diabetes self‐care are used for purposes of illustration. Important areas for future research on developmental determinants of health behaviors include the effect of health behaviors at one life stage on health outcomes during subsequent stages, the midlife period, health behavior theory development that incorporates a lifespan perspective, examination of the extent to which conceptualizations of key concepts (e.g., self‐efficacy, perceived control, social support) are age invariant, and the interaction between developmental phenomena and extrinsic factors such as socioeconomic status, race, culture, and gender.
Self‐Regulation and Learning
Authors: Schunk Dale H. , Zimmerman Barry J.
Published: November 2003

Schunk and Zimmerman review how self‐regulated learning processes are a result of self‐generated thoughts and behaviors oriented toward the attainment of personal learning goals. Five major theoretical perspectives on self‐regulated learning are reviewed, including operant theory, information processing theory, developmental theory, social constructivist theory, and social cognitive theory. Theory and research are presented that point to the strong relations between self‐regulation and achievement processes. Specific intervention strategies designed to enhance students' self‐regulation are presented. Future research to link self‐regulation and volition, to focus on the development of self‐regulation in children and its life span progression is discussed.
Motivation and Classroom Learning
Authors: Pintrich Paul R.
Published: November 2003

This chapter provides a comprehensive review of individual motivation and emotional factors related to school performance and classroom factors that are predictive of student motivation and achievement in critical academic domains. Studies are reviewed that demonstrate how expectancy components (i.e., control beliefs, self‐efficacy beliefs); value components (i.e., goal orientation, task value, and utility); and affective components (i.e., anxiety and other emotions) relate to student cognition and classroom learning. The importance of motivational components in facilitating and constraining cognition, learning, and other important schooling outcomes is presented. Future research directions proposed include analyses of the developmental progressions and linkages between motivation and cognition and investigations of how current classroom reforms may moderate relationships between motivation and cognition.
Sociocultural Contexts for Teaching and Learning
Authors: John‐Steiner Vera , Mahn Holbrook
Published: November 2003

There has been an increased recognition of the work of the Russian psychologist L. S. Vygotsky in the fields of education and educational psychology. John‐Steiner and Mahn review this body of work, focusing on its role in helping create new explanatory theories that address the complexities of schooling in settings that are becoming more linguistically and culturally diverse. This literature is used as a lens to examine salient issues in educational psychology, such as, first and second language acquisition, literacy, writing and current educational reform efforts related to teaching, bilingualism, standardized assessment, and the integration of special needs and culturally diverse students into educational settings.
School Adjustment
Authors: Wentzel Kathryn R.
Published: November 2003

Wentzel reviews research demonstrating that socially adjusted individuals are able to set and achieve personally valued goals sanctioned by the larger community. School adjustment is defined by social motivation in the form of social goal pursuit, behavioral competence, and positive interpersonal relationships. Initially, Wentzel identifies critical factors related to social and school adjustment. Children's adjustment to school is discussed with in relation to social competencies that facilitate school‐related achievement. Research on socialization processes that promote healthy adjustment at school is reviewed. The implications for future work on school adjustment and areas for continued research are identified in the final section.
Mathematical Learning
Authors: Lehrer Richard , Lesh Richard
Published: November 2003

Lehrer and Lesh review research in the psychology of mathematical learning and mathematics education through a genetic, developmental framework that reflects both cognitive and sociocultural perspectives on learning. The authors examine individual cognitive processes and sociocultural contexts that underscore mathematical thinking. Origins of mathematical learning are linked to the development of argument. The role of inscriptions, notations and symbolic patterns are reviewed as a distinct form of mathematical literacy. These ideas are applied to studies of geometry measurement that stress spatial visualization and to mathematical modeling. A final section presents implications for classroom learning and describes how to create a classroom culture that values mathematical explanation, thinking, and instructional design.
School‐Related Behavior Disorders
Authors: Walker Hill M. , Gresham Frank M.
Published: November 2003

Walker and Gresham describe the current status of the field of behavior disorders, followed by a discussion of current research and best practices. Other topics reviewed include functional assessment of behavior, interventions that utilize positive behavioral support, research examining teacher interactions with students with behavior disorders, the association between language deficits and behavior disorders, and resistance to intervention as a cardinal symptom for treatment eligibility. Practical problems facing the field are presented, including the interpretation of federal education legislation and the relative lack of attention to early identification activities. The authors provide evidence to support the use of social skills instruction and appropriate inclusion to modify maladaptive behaviors.
Learning and Pedagogy in Initial Teacher Preparation
Authors: Whitcomb Jennifer A.
Published: November 2003

Whitcomb synthesizes the research on initial teacher preparation in a critical review of cognitively oriented studies of new teacher's learning. An overview of research on individual teacher's knowledge is followed by conceptual frameworks used to study learning to teach, defining features of a teaching knowledge base and teacher decision making that supports student learning in culturally inclusive settings. Research on how initial teachers learn to teach writing and the impact of case methodology in teacher preparation is presented. The chapter ends with a critical analysis of the limits of current research and calls for future work that will enhance understanding initial teacher pedagogy and teacher preparation models and programs.
Research to Policy for Guiding Educational Reform
Authors: McCombs Barbara L.
Published: November 2003

McCombs illustrates how research in educational psychology is often translated to educational practice and policy, with a particular reference to how teachers can be informed by research to modify and enhance their classroom and instructional procedures. She describes theLearner‐Centered Psychological Principlescompiled by the APA Board of Educational Affairs (1997), a set of practice principles for educational policy and restructuring. These principles are used to provide an overview of practices based on critical and credible psychological research and theory that are applicable to learning in educational contexts. Also outlined are significant contributions of educational psychologists to the development of local and national education policies and current educational reforms.
Mood Disorders
Authors: Hammen Constance
Published: November 2003

Mood disorders are psychological disturbances characterized by intense emotional experiences of depression, mania, or both depression and mania. Mood disorders are remarkably diverse in their features but they share a focus on an excessive mood that colors and distorts the way the person thinks and views the world, accompanied by marked changes in movement, activity, energy, sleep, appetite, and motivation for engagement in the world. Depressive disorders are so frequent that they have been called the common cold of psychological disorders but, unlike the common cold, their consequences can be profoundly distressing, disruptive, and impairing. Included within this chapter will be current research and the prevailing theories regarding the phenomenology, etiology, and pathology of unipolar depressive disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder and dysthymia) and bipolar mood disorders (e.g., bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymia).
Disorders of Impulse Control
Authors: Sher Kenneth J. , Slutske Wendy S.
Published: November 2003

Reviewed in this chapter are the research and theory concerning conditions that have in common deficits in impulse control, or disinhibitory psychopathology. Emphasized in particular are the substance use disorders and pathological gambling. Disorders of impulse control are prevalent in all societies and place high costs on the affected individuals, as well as their friends, family members, and often the rest of society. Because they often co‐occur within the same individuals, it is useful clinically and conceptually to understand their psychopathology from a common theoretical perspective. For each of the specific variants of disinhibitory psychopathology, there appears to be multiple etiological mechanisms that convey risk for their development. We have termed these mechanisms positive affect regulation, negative affect regulation, pharmacological vulnerability (in the case of substance use disorders), and deviance proneness. It seems likely that attention to these underlying mechanisms will permit a refinement of diagnosis and provide starting points for new approaches to prevention and treatment. Considered as well are pathologies and etiologies recognized within the research and clinical literature to be specific to individual substance use and pathological gambling disorders.
Humanistic‐Experiential Psychotherapy
Authors: Greenberg Leslie S. , Elliott Robert , Lietaer Germain
Published: November 2003

The most central characteristics of humanistic approaches to psychotherapy are defined. These are their focus on promoting in‐therapy experiencing, a commitment to a phenomenological approach, a belief in the uniquely human capacity for reflective consciousness, a positive view of human functioning, and the operation of some form of growth tendency. These approaches adopt a consistently person‐centered view that involves concern and real respect for each person. In this chapter the major approaches within this orientation, Person‐centered, Gestalt, and Existential are discussed. The emergence of contemporary experiential therapy, based on a neo‐humanistic reformulation of the above classic humanistic values, is presented. The traditional humanistic assumptions have been expanded to incorporate moder views on emotion, dynamic systems, constructivism, and the importance of a process view of functioning to help clarify the humanistic views of growth and self‐determination. Neo‐humanistic‐experiential therapy is based on the importance of the relationship as a stubborn attempt by two human beings to meet each other in a genuine manner and as involving the intention to promote the deepening of the client's experience. This is seen as leading to integrative self‐reorganization. Research results on the effectiveness of experiential therapy are reviewed.
Group Psychotherapy
Authors: Alonso Anne , Alonso Sarah , Piper William
Published: November 2003

The field of group theory and its application in the field of psychotherapy has burgeoned over the last 50 years. Currently, group methods are used under several theoretical umbrellas. The goals of group therapy are varied from overall personality reorganization to symptom‐focused work. Specific populations are sometimes treated in homogeneous groups and inpatient units are evermore dependent on group interventions. The psychological economy of working in groups matches the fiscal economy, which is such a challenge at the turn of the twenty‐first century. This chapter explores the broad spectrum. Beginning with a brief history of group psychotherapy and its evolution, we then examine the theorists whose work has been expressed in group practice. These include the psychodynamic theorists, nonanalytic theorists, and the divisions within those various umbrella groups. We offer a developmental map of a therapy group and end with a section on the research in group efficacy and applicability.
Child Psychotherapy
Authors: Morris Richard J. , Li Huijun , Lizardi Patricia Sánchez , Morris Yvonne P.
Published: November 2003

This chapter presents an overview of four major therapeutic approaches that are currently discussed in the child and adolescent psychotherapy literature. These therapy approaches are: behavior therapy and cognitive behavior therapy, child psychoanalysis, Adlerian therapy, and client‐centered (humanistic) therapy. Prior to the overview of the four approaches, issues related to the conduct of child and adolescent psychotherapy are discussed. These issues include therapeutic relationship, comorbidity factors, and “who is the client,”—all of which can affect the effectiveness of therapy. The theoretical foundations and empirical research supporting these therapies are also discussed as is future directions for child psychotherapy outcome research.
North American Perspectives on Education, Training, Licensing, and Credentialing
Authors: Hall Judy E. , Hurley George
Published: November 2003

This chapter addresses the broad realm of education, training, licensing and credentialing in professional psychology in the largest countries on the North American continent.

Particular attention is paid to the development and implementation of similar mechanisms in both the United States and Canada due to similar developmental histories and strong cross‐border interchanges and influences. Information obtained on Mexico from the series of Tri‐Lateral Forum meetings on Professional Psychology is also included. After addressing the definition of clinical (small c) psychology, professional training (practica, internship, and postdoctoral components) and certification mechanisms in professional psychology (licensure and credentialing) are used to help define competence in professional psychology. The role of each credential is described in the United States and Canada and to some degree in Mexico. Then the structures established to educate, train, accredit, identify, and certify programs and individuals are presented. Influences from external forces that have shaped, and continue to shape these developments, are included and an historical addendum on the national conferences in the United States and Canada that have shaped health service psychology are provided. This chapter is oriented toward an individual student or professional looking for a single source on education, training, licensing, and credentialing in professional psychology.
Expanding Roles for Psychologists in the Twenty‐First Century
Authors: DeLeon Patrick H. , Hagglund Kristofer J. , Ragusea Stephen A. , Sammons Morgan T.
Published: November 2003

Active involvement of psychologists in the public policy arena is necessary for the continued health of the profession. In spite of differences about priorities within the profession, sustained interaction with legislative and regulatory entities is required. Behavioral and psychological factors are among the leading contributors to the public burden of disease and the distinction between physical and psychological aspects of health and illness is increasingly blurred. The profession thus is obligated to ensure that psychology's contributions to scientific knowledge and clinical practice are translated into health care policies improving the public good. Psychology can make direct contributions to the quality of health service provision in this country via involvement in applied genetic research, advancing new technologies such as telehealth, the application of psychological principles to the prescription of psychotropic drugs, and involvement in social justice issues, such as global conflict resolution and addressing the increasing trend towards incarceration of citizens with mental illness. The profession has become increasingly sophisticated, but training programs must evolve such that students are trained not only in basic psychological sciences but are also enabled to utilize new technologies, have fluency in interdisciplinary public health models, and are given requisite skills to engage in effective public policy making.
Psychoneuroimmunology
Authors: Stowell Jeffrey R. , McGuire Lynanne , Robles Ted , Glaser Ronald , Kiecolt‐Glaser Janice K.
Published: November 2003

In this chapter, we briefly introduce two major physiological systems that modulate immune function and then provide evidence for stress‐immune relationships in acute and chronic conditions. Next, we explore the psychosocial factors that may be important in moderating and mediating these relationships, including negative affect, social support, and interpersonal relationships. Finally, we review intervention strategies that may be beneficial in reducing the negative effects of stress on the immune system.

Basic and applied psychoneuroimmunology research studies have provided an encouraging foundation for characterizing the links between psychosocial and immunological factors. The current knowledge of psychoneuroimmunology with respect to individual psychological differences, emotions, coping strategies, and interpersonal relationships has already had a significant impact on understanding the contribution that the psychosocial context has on immune function, health, and disease. The next wave of research will expand our knowledge of psychosocial factors and their role in the progression of immunologically mediated conditions, including HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, certain cancers, and surgical recovery. From this knowledge, we can devise and implement effective interventions to enhance quality of life and improve health.
Headaches
Authors: Andrasik Frank , Walch Susan E.
Published: November 2003

This chapter reviews headache classification, measurement, and treatment. Current measurement approaches chiefly utilize daily pain diaries, but other approaches have been investigated (multiple dimensions, social validation, behavior motivated by pain, and impact and disability). Pocket computers are likely to used extensively in the future. Numerous individual studies, meta‐analytic analyses, and task force reviews have shown that a number of behavioral treatments (relaxation, biofeedback, and CBT), administered by various formats (individual, minimal contact, group) are efficacious for uncomplicated forms of migraine and tension‐type headache, that improvement rates appear to rival those for pharmacological treatments, and that certain treatment combinations can be more efficacious than single modality approaches. People experiencing cluster, menstrual, posttraumatic, drug‐induced, or daily, unremitting headaches or certain comorbid conditions present special challenges that can require integrative, multidisciplinary, and intensive treatment approaches. Most of the research to date has been conducted in specialized research or treatment centers, with patients who have been highly selected. Importing treatments to the settings where they are most needed (primary care) and investigating parameters for optimizing success will occupy much research time in the near term, as will Internet delivery. Although it is clear that certain behavioral treatments are efficacious, the mechanisms by which they operate are not well understood. More recent accounts of pathophysiology for both of the major forms of headache have shifted from peripheral and vascular models to models that focus on central nervous system dysfunction (central sensitization for tension‐type headache and central excitability for migraine). Recognition of this will certainly lead to development of new psychophysiological assessment and treatment approaches.
Psychosocial Oncology
Authors: Nezu Arthur M. , Nezu Christine Maguth , Felgoise Stephanie H. , Zwick Marni L.
Published: November 2003

An increasing awareness of the significant emotional, interpersonal, family, vocational, and functional problems experienced by cancer patients, and how such problems impact on their health quality of life and health outcome, has led to the creation of the field of psychosocial oncology. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of this area beginning with a brief description of cancer itself (cancer prevalence, cancer staging, cancer treatment). We continue with overviews of research findings regarding: (1) behavioral risk factors for developing cancer (smoking, alcohol, diet, sun exposure, socioeconomic status, personality), (2) psychosocial effects of cancer (depression, anxiety, suicide, delirium, body image problems, sexual functioning difficulties, issues among terminal patients, psychological responses to specific cancer treatments), (3) psychosocial factors influencing the impact of cancer (coping, social support), (4) psychosocial interventions for adult cancer patients (educational interventions, cognitive‐behavioral interventions, group therapy approaches, telephone counseling, effects of psychosocial interventions on health outcomes, effects of psychosocial interventions on immune functioning, prevention issues), and (5) family and caregiver issues (impact of cancer on caregivers, psychosocial interventions for caregivers). We conclude with a detailed discussion of what future researchers need to focus on in order to impact significantly on the growth of this relatively nascent field of inquiry.
Coronary Heart Disease and Hypertension
Authors: O'Callahan Mark , Andrews Amy M. , Krantz David S.
Published: November 2003

Chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and hypertension, are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States and other Western countries. Many physiological, environmental, and behavioral variables interact in the development of these disorders. This chapter reviews recent epidemiological findings in the field, including a description of standard risk factors, and evidence for the effects and impact of psychosocial and demographic risk factors, including race, sex, and stress. In addition, we examine the role of individual characteristics such as Type A behavior, anger/hostility, and depression in the development of CHD. Issues such as personality, salt intake, and obesity all impact the development of hypertension. The benefits of conventional treatments, including medical and surgical options, cardiac rehabilitation, and weight loss/dietary restrictions, are described, as are newer and less conventional treatments such as major lifestyle changes, increased social support, and cognitive‐behavioral approaches. This chapter highlights the need for additional research in the areas of CHD/hypertension prevention and treatment by medical professionals and health psychologists alike.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Blanchard Edward B. , Keefer Laurie
Published: November 2003

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a functional disorder of the lower gastrointestinal tract, affects between 19 and 34 million Americans. The primary symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain and/or tenderness and altered bowel function. Other commonly reported symptoms include gas, bloating, and nausea. While the etiology of IBS is relatively unknown, both medical and psychological literatures point to the role of psychosocial factors in the onset and maintenance of the syndrome.

This chapter has three parts. First, it discusses the refining of the criteria necessary to diagnose the syndrome and describes the epidemiology of IBS. Further, it reviews the literature regarding the role of psychological distress, stress, life events, and early sexual abuse in the onset and maintenance of the disorder.

In the second part of the chapter, we review psychosocial and treatment literature relevant to recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), a functional GI disorder diagnosed in childhood. Finally, in part three of the chapter, we offer empirical evidence supporting the role of psychological intervention in alleviating symptoms of IBS, and specifically discuss the treatment outcome studies we have conducted over the past decade.

Lastly, we offer some conclusions and future directions for research and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.
Testing and Assessment in Cross‐Cultural Psychology
Authors: Geisinger Kurt F.
Published: November 2003

This chapter begins with some basic distinctions in cross‐cultural and multicultural psychology, including the concepts of Etic and Emic. The use of tests and assessments for research and applied use in cross‐cultural psychology is described. The nature of equivalence is depicted in detail with more than four types of equivalence differentiated: linguistic equivalence, conceptual equivalence, functional equivalence, and metric equivalence. A few other types of equivalence are also mentioned. The nature of bias in cross‐cultural assessment is next clarified, with construct, method, and item bias acknowledged. The translation and adaptation of tests is reviewed from a procedural perspective, with emphasis upon the role of language and the role of culture in the understanding of behavior and, hence, the appreciation of testing and the interpretation of test results. Procedures for adapting tests from one culture to another and for evaluating the equivalence of the two versions are discussed. Several research designs for establishing the linkage of test scores across forms are also briefly provided.
Psychological Assessment in Child Mental Health Settings
Authors: Lachar David
Published: November 2003

Although various assessment procedures contribute to the assessment of emotionally and behaviorally disturbed youth, the measurement of problem presence and degree of associated disability using objective scales directly supports core mental health services for youth: the development of an accurate differential diagnosis and the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of treatment. Multidimensional assessment identifies clinically important comorbid conditions and improves the variable accuracy of the referral process that often necessitates evidence of both symptom presence and absence. Collecting child descriptions from different informants (parent, teacher, and student) is consistent with both the child development process and the demonstrated variable accuracy of child report and adequacy of informant motivation. Guidelines for the selection of objective tests and the specific evaluation of four families of multidimensional multiinformant measures are provided (Personality Inventory for Children, Personality Inventory for Youth, Student Behavior Survey; Behavior Assessment System for Children; Connors' Rating Scales—Revised; Child Behavior Checklist, Youth Self‐Report, Teacher Report Form). Additional descriptions of five single informant multidimensional objective measures and six more focused tests that may supplement the assessment or support the treatment of specific adjustment problems are also provided. The development of additional criteria with which to evaluate objective measures of youth adjustment is considered.
Psychological Assessment in Medical Settings
Authors: Sweet Jerry J. , Tovian Steven M. , Suchy Yana
Published: November 2003

Both historically and in terms of present training and employment, medical settings have provided a fertile environment for formal psychological assessment. In fact, recently trained physicians expect to have psychological assessment resources available within the hospital systems in which they practice because these resources were present within the institutions in which they trained. Within this chapter, psychological assessment is viewed as encompassing all traditional (e.g., personality, intellectual, academic) and specialized testing (e.g., health/illness coping styles, neuropsychological). Important issues pertaining to psychological assessment in medical settings are reviewed. These topics include the influence of the medical environment, current pressures regarding ‘accountability,’ opportunities for clinical, educational, and research collaborations with physicians, reimbursement issues, financial efficacy, ethical and legal issues, logistics, and integration within a biopsychosocial model. Finally, types of medical settings, specific assessment instruments, and areas of specialty assessment are reviewed.
Psychological Assessment in Industrial/Organizational Settings
Authors: Klimoski Richard J. , Zukin Lori B.
Published: November 2003

This chapter is built on a broad view of “individual assessment” relative to its use in industrial and organizational settings. In constructing our treatment, we address historical, theoretical, as well as practical issues surrounding assessments in work settings. Specifically, we highlight the multiple purposes, the types of factors measured, the approaches used, and the role that assessment must play to ensure business success. While the skills and techniques involved in workplace assessments would be familiar to most psychologists, the application of the former must be sensitive and appropriate to particular work‐context realities. Therefore, our treatment of assessment is embedded within a broader discussion of the business and technical considerations inherent in the workplace. We begin the chapter with a brief historical introduction to the role and development of assessments in work settings, including a discussion of purposes for, attributes of, and approaches to assessment. Following this, attention is given to the technical implementation of assessments, the focus of those assessments, and the major tools used to conduct these assessments. Finally, we conclude our chapter with an examination of the major issues surrounding contemporary assessment in work settings such as business necessity, social policy, and technical/professional concerns.
Psychological Assessment in Forensic Settings
Authors: Ogloff James R. P. , Douglas Kevin S.
Published: November 2003

This chapter provides an introduction to the field of forensic psychology. The chapter focuses on four general topics. First, the authors provide a definition of forensic psychology and a discussion of how it fits within clinical psychology. The authors argue that those psychologists who work in the field of forensic psychology must have specialized training and experience in the field. Second, the authors discuss the legal parameters within which forensic assessments are conducted. The authors note that the legal standards establish the parameters of the assessment and help focus the clinician's task. The authors introduce and discuss the psycholegal content analysis approach to forensic assessment. Next, the authors review some of the contemporary issues in forensic assessment, including the effect of the clinical versus actuarial debate for the field, the development of the legally informed practitioner model, the roles and limits of general psychological testing in forensic contexts, legal specificity, and training in forensic psychology. Finally, the authors discuss some future concerns that should be addressed in the field. In particular, they raise concerns about quality control in forensic assessment and identify areas that require further development (i.e., civil forensic assessment, forensic assessments with youth, women, and visible minorities).
Assessment of Intellectual Functioning
Authors: Wasserman John D.
Published: November 2003

This chapter describes contemporary approaches to the assessment of cognitive and intellectual functioning. The origins of intelligence testing at the beginning of the twentieth century are briefly recounted. Six major intelligence tests are described in terms of their origins, theoretical underpinnings, standardization features and psychometric adequacy, and interpretive indices and applications. These tests include the Cognitive Assessment System, Differential Ability Scales, Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Stanford‐Binet Intelligence Scale, Wechsler Intelligence Scales, and the Woodcock‐Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities. It is argued that in order for the study and practice of intellectual assessment to achieve status as a mature clinical science, the field must meet four essential requirements: (1) a coherent foundational theory, from which testable principles and propositions may be derived, (2) a variety of measures, operationalizing the theories and serving the needs of special populations, (3) an applied diagnostic taxonomy, derived from and consistent with the theory and its measures, and (4) a compendium of change‐oriented intervention techniques, aimed at modifying specific behaviors in a manner consistent with the theories. In spite of an abundance of theories and measures, the study of intelligence and its assessment has yet to realize its potential in terms of diagnosis and intervention.
Assessing Personality and Psychopathology With Interviews
Authors: Craig Robert J.
Published: November 2003

This chapter discusses contemporary issues in assessing psychopathology and personality with interview. We discuss types of interviews, how clients and clinicians approach an interview, and structured versus unstructured interviews. The structure of the interview is presented along with continuing concerns with official diagnostic systems. Issues that complicate the assessment process for personality disorders are discussed, including the base rate problem, the role of affective disorders, state versus trait assessment, the role of culture, the reliability of psychiatric diagnosis, the problem of diagnostic overlap, and comorbidities. Current findings on the reliability of structured clinical interviews are presented. While structured diagnostic interviews show acceptable reliability, their convergent validity with similar instruments and with self‐report instruments are only modest. This means that two similar instruments, be they structured interview or self‐report tests, may not result in the same diagnoses for a given patient. The chapter concludes with a discussion of computer‐assisted diagnosis and suggestions for the future.
Assessing Personality and Psychopathology with Projective Methods
Authors: Viglione Donald J. , Rivera Bridget
Published: November 2003

Research findings, which are often ignored, clearly demonstrate that projective tests have value in the assessment process. This chapter addresses their value within a broad overview, incorporating projective tests and methods within a single domain. Simplified and misleading models for projective testing, such as the “blank screen” and “X‐ray” models, are examined. Bias against projective testing is reviewed from an historical perspective. In response to these misunderstandings about projective testing, the chapter provides a new behavioral, response process model for projective testing. Ironically, this behavioral response processing model, in which the personality processes are inferred by comparing input versus output, is very similar to the original descriptions about projective processes offered some 70 years ago. Based on information processing and problem solving, the model integrates both content/self‐expressive and structural/organizational components. In doing so, some common misperceptions about projective tests are corrected. The complexity and freedom of the projective stimulus situation and the richness and variety of the projective test responses are the foundation for the generalizability, validity, and interpretation of these tests. It follows necessarily that projective testing interpretation is synthetic and individualized so that projective tests allow one to personalize and contextualize group findings.
Overview of Forensic Psychology
Authors: Goldstein Alan M.
Published: November 2003

Forensic psychology has received considerable attention in recent years. This introductory chapter presents both an overview of the field as well as a description of how this volume is organized and the various psycho‐legal questions it addresses. The field of forensic psychology is defined and fundamental differences between it and clinical psychology are discussed. These include differences in roles, the significance of diagnoses, concepts of human behavior, trust in the client's responses, temporal focus of the evaluation, and professional accountability. The history of the field is briefly reviewed. The major sections of this volume are described: the nature of the field including training, ethics, and testimony; approaches to forensic assessment, including the use of third‐party information and the assessment of malingering; special topics, such as eyewitness memory and jury selection; civil issues, including child custody, personal injury, and Americans with Disabilities Act assessments; criminal issues, such as the evaluation of juveniles; Miranda waivers and false confessions, trial competence, criminal responsibility, death penalty and child sexual abuse assessments; evaluating special populations, including sex offenders, battered women, and those for whom violence is at issue; and emerging directions for the field of forensic psychology. This volume reflects the most up‐to‐date description of the field as we enter the twentieth century.
Ethical Principles and Professional Competencies
Authors: Weissman Herbert N. , Debow Deborah M.
Published: November 2003

The conceptual framework that links competent practice to ethical practice in forensic psychology is given practical expression through the use of commonly experienced psycho‐legal issues and case‐relevant examples. The application of Supreme Court decisions, rules of evidence, and case law into one's everyday work is explained. Ethical guidelines in psychology and evidentiary rules in the law are presented not as abstract principles, but rather as principles intrinsically involved in the process of performing the expert's work. It is argued that the process of defining referral questions, of choosing methodologies to answer these questions, and of formulating and presenting opinions all rely solidly on the competent application of ethical guidelines and evidentiary rules.

Impediments to sound practice are described, including the personal and professional limitations of the practitioner and the external influences associated with an adversarial legal system and a medico‐legal context in which forensic psychologists work. Useful means of addressing personal limitations and coping with external influences are discussed.

Conceptual models in personal injury and child custody are provided which illustrate how ethically competent methodologies can be constructed to produce findings that meet criteria for relevancy and admissibility in both psychology and law.
Expert Testimony: Law and Practice
Authors: Ewing Charles Patrick
Published: November 2003

A major aspect of the contemporary practice of forensic psychology involves providing expert testimony in trials on a variety of issues such as child custody, personal injury, disability, substituted judgment, competency to waive rights, competency to stand trial, insanity, and diminished capacity. In order to be effective as an expert witness, today's forensic psychologist must not only be an expert in the area of his or her testimony but also be well versed in the law governing expert testimony and the most effective methods of presenting such testimony. This chapter begins with an examination of the history of expert testimony by psychologists from the early twentieth century to the present. Next the chapter explains the statutory and case law rules governing expert testimony, with particular emphasis on the Federal Rules of Evidence and the cases ofFrye v. United States,Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, andKumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael. Finally, the chapter details selected practical aspects of the current process of giving such testimony, including qualifying as an expert and dealing with efforts to discredit and impeach expert testimony.
Third Party Information in Forensic Assessment
Authors: Heilbrun Kirk , Warren Janet , Picarello Kim
Published: November 2003

Third‐party information in forensic assessment is obtained from sources other than the individual being evaluated, most often from relevant records or interviews of collateral observers. Although third‐party information (TPI) has long played an important role in forensic assessment, there has been relatively little discussion of why it is important or focused analysis of the relevant research, law, ethics, and practice literature in this area. This chapter provides such a discussion. TPI is described as particularly important in forensic assessment for a number of reasons, including its facilitation of assessing response style and testing hypotheses, its application in recently developed assessment tools that require collateral sources, and its promotion of the effective and credible communication of findings. Relevant literature is reviewed in the areas of empirical research, law, ethics, and practice. The chapter also provides a discussion of how to obtain, weigh, and integrate information from third‐party sources into the overall forensic assessment.
Forensic and Clinical Issues in the Assessment of Psychopathy
Authors: Hemphill James F. , Hart Stephen D.
Published: November 2003

The chapter begins with a discussion of the current clinical conceptualizations of psychopathy and basic diagnostic issues. The authors argue that the procedures used to assess psychopathy should reflect the decision‐making purpose of the assessment and the nature of the disorder being assessed. The second section reviews the most commonly used methods for assessing psychopathy. Clinical or expert rating scales of psychopathy (e.g., The Hare Psychopathy Checklist—Revised) are identified as having a better fit to the assessment task than are other assessment methods (e.g., self‐report questionnaires, structured diagnostic interviews). The third section identifies important professional and clinical issues that practitioners should keep in mind when assessing psychopathy. Issues related to the assessment of psychopathy among children and adolescents, and the assessment of risk for violence, are discussed. The fourth section examines a number of professional and clinical issues that arise as part of the clinical‐forensic assessment of psychopathy. These issues include failing to appropriately use accepted procedures for assessing psychopathy, using assessment procedures without adequate training and experience, and not establishing causal connections between diagnoses of psychopathy and the relevant legal issues. The authors provide practical recommendations for dealing with these and other clinical and professional issues. The chapter concludes with a discussion of issues that are priorities for future research.
Forensic Assessment for High‐Risk Occupations
Authors: Borum Randy , Super John , Rand Michelle
Published: November 2003

Psychologists are frequently asked to assess the psychological suitability of candidates and incumbent employees for law enforcement positions and other “high‐risk” occupations. This chapter begins with a review of significant ethical issues that emerge in conducting high‐risk occupational assessments generally, including Professional Competence, Role Definition, and Confidentiality and Access to Results. The sections that follow provide a more specific focus on legal and practice issues in pre‐employment psychological screening and fitness‐for‐duty evaluations. There is a discussion of federal statutes and case law that pertain to these evaluations, and an overview of practice guidelines that have been developed and endorsed by organized groups of public safety psychologists. Practical guidance and research‐based information is provided on issues related to obtaining consent, procedures and methods for conducting the assessment, and crafting an ultimate analysis regarding the examinee's psychological suitability for the position.