bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The inter‐rater reliability of Hall and Baker's REHAB scale: A cross‐validation study
Authors: Carson Jerome , Coupar Alan , Gill Joanne , Titman Penny
Published: July 2011

The impending closure of many large psychiatric hospitals has led to the involvement of clinical psychologists in surveys of whole hospital populations. REHAB is a recent addition to the range of behaviour‐rating scales. In a test of the inter‐rater reliability of this scale, we have assessed the ratings from an initial sample of 50 patients. We obtained higher correlation co‐efficients than expected given the larger number of raters used in our study. Some implications for the general use of rating scales in reprovision are discussed.
Changes in patients' stress and arousal levels associated with therapists' perception of their requests during crisis intervention
Authors: Kirk Andrea K. , Stanley Gordon V. , Brown David F.
Published: July 2011

This study examined changes in 32 patients' stress and arousal levels before and after an initial crisis intervention interview, according to the degree of mismatch between patient and therapist perceptions of requests made during the interview. A good match between patient and therapist perceptions was associated with a decrease in patients' stress following the interview. Although patients rated by therapists as more severely disturbed had the highest mismatch scores, it is unlikely that the observed mismatch between patients and therapists is accounted for solely by psychiatric condition. The findings suggest that measuring changes in stress may well provide a valuable means of evaluating patient response to the initial crisis interview.
Doctors' beliefs about diabetes: A comparison of hospital and community doctors
Authors: Marteau Theresa M. , Kinmonth Ann Louise
Published: July 2011

A sample of general practitioners responded to a questionnaire measuring beliefs about diabetes and its management. The results are compared with those of a previous study concerning hospital doctors. GPs had a bleaker outlook on diabetes, perceiving the disease to carry more risks and having less confidence that achieving goals of treatment would reduce these risks. In accord with these beliefs their approach to treatment was far more lax than that of hospital‐based doctors. The implications of these results for shared patient care, and interventions to maximize patient‐health outcomes are discussed.
The attribution of cure
Authors: Henley Susan , Furnham Adrian
Published: July 2011

Subjects rated the importance of 24 different contributors towards overcoming four relatively common problems: alcoholism, depression, sexual problems and shyness. Factor analysis revealed seven almost identical clusters for each problem, which were labelled inner control, receiving help, understanding, social consequences, physical basis, avoidance and fate. Items loading on the first three factors were thought to be generally important, and those on the last three relatively unimportant. However, the degree of importance attributed to each factor varied considerably between problems.
Some simple statistical tests for exploring single‐case time‐series data
Authors: Morley Stephen , Adams Malcolm
Published: July 2011

Statistical analysis of single‐case time‐series data has received considerable attention. Many of the techniques discussed in the literature require long series of data or sophisticated statistical techniques. The present paper describes a number of ‘quick and dirty’ non‐parametric tests which can be applied to relatively short time series. These tests require minimal calculations and can be carried out by inspecting graphical plots of the data. Each test is illustrated and tables for significance testing have been worked out. The importance of these tests lies in their potential to facilitate the accurate description of time series data. They are recommended as techniques for exploratory data analysis, the philosophy of which parallels Sidman's (1960) ‘data led’ approach to experimentation.
Psychosocial factors in Parkinson's disease
Authors: MacCarthy Brigid , Brown Richard
Published: July 2011

Self‐report measures were administered to 136 patients with Parkinson's disease in order to explore the relationships between aspects of psychological adjustment (depression, positive affect and acceptance of illness) and physical illness (duration of the illness, stage of illness and functional disability). Many psychosocial variables which, it was hypothesized, might intervene in the relationship between physical and psychological status were also measured. These were coping style, social support, self‐esteem, attributions about the onset and course of the illness, perceived control and previous psychiatric history. A variable pattern of relationships between the different indices of psychological adjustment and physical illness emerged. Self‐esteem, coping style and practical support contributed significantly to the variance in psychological adjustment. It was concluded that wellbeing in Parkinsonian patients is not exclusively dependent on a simple relationship between disability and depression, and that other factors should be taken into account in the clinical management of the illness.
The relation between subjective and objective memory impairment after stroke
Authors: Lincoln N. B. , Tinson D. J.
Published: July 2011

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between subjective memory and objective assessment using a test designed to reflect daily life memory skills, the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT). A total of 78 patients was assessed seven months after a stroke. Each patient completed a questionnaire about memory problems experienced in daily life. A relative or close friend completed the same questionnaire about the patient. Each patient was assessed on the RBMT and some conventional memory tests. Questionnaire responses were more highly correlated with the RBMT than with conventional tests of memory.
Colour naming of violence‐related words in Northern Ireland
Authors: Giles Melanie , Cairns Ed
Published: July 2011

To investigate the hypothesis that people in Northern Ireland are using denial to cope with the impact of political violence, a specially designed version of the Stroop test was developed. English students living in Northern Ireland evidenced significantly greater interference on the Violent Stroop compared to either English students living in England or Northern Irish students living in Northern Ireland suggesting that while the Northern Irish natives had habituated to the violence the English students living in Northern Ireland had not yet done so.
Trait anxiety and coping style as predictors of pre‐operative anxiety
Authors: Fox Elaine , O'Boyle Ciaran , Lennon John , Keeling Paul W. N.
Published: July 2011

A situationally specific measure of trait anxiety based on the Endler model was a better predictor of pre‐operative state anxiety than the STAI trait anxiety scale in 54 patients undergoing colonoscopy. Lower self‐reported pre‐operative anxiety was found for (a) repressors, who report low trait anxiety and high defensiveness on the Marlowe‐Crown scale, than for (b) truly low anxious patients, who report low trait anxiety and low defensiveness.
Personal questionnaire changes in prescriptive vs. exploratory psychotherapy
Authors: Barkham Michael , Shapiro David A. , Firth‐Cozens Jenny
Published: July 2011

Personal Questionnaire (PQ) data were collected within a larger study (the Sheffield Psychotherapy Project) in which 40 professional and managerial workers with depression and/or anxiety received eight sessions of prescriptive (cognitive‐behavioural) and eight sessions of exploratory (relationship‐orientated) therapy in a cross‐over design with each client seeing the same therapist throughout. Concurrent validity of PQ ratings with two established outcome measures are presented and suggest differing patterns of association with different outcome measures. Results based on a group comparison design as well as differential trend analyses, in which each case is analysed as a single case within a group design, are presented and suggest a greater differential response to treatments when the treatment order is prescriptive followed by exploratory therapy. Findings are presented relating clients' responses to treatment with the individual characteristic of clients' age. Implications for clinical research and practice are discussed.
Individual differences in schizotypy as reflected in measures of cognitive inhibition
Authors: Beech Anthony , Baylis Gordon C. , Smithson Paul , Claridge Gordon
Published: July 2011

Three experiments are reported using the ‘negative priming’ paradigm to investigate cognitive differences in normal schizotypal subjects. Lists of Stroop colour words were presented at different display times in a number of priming and non‐priming conditions, in one of which the ignored colour name predicted the colour of the next target item. The increased RT latencies to the target normally found in this condition were reduced, or even reversed, in high schizotypal subjects selected on the basis of a new schizotypy scale (STA). This effect was confined to a very short presentation time (100 ms), suggesting that schizotypy is associated with weakened inhibition operating in the early (automatic) stages of information processing. The familiar Stroop (interference) effect was related overall to negative priming, but was not responsible for the schizotypy differences.
Self‐disclosure in a clinical context by Asian and British psychiatric out‐patients*
Authors: Bennett Mark , Rutledge Joan
Published: July 2011

A study is described in which self‐reported self‐disclosure levels of Asian and British out‐patients to psychiatrists are examined as a function of racial and gender match to psychiatrist. Analysis of self‐disclosure scores for 77 subjects revealed no overall differences between Asian and British subjects, or between men and women. Asian subjects, however, reported being prepared to disclose significantly more to a psychiatrist of the same sex as themselves, regardless of race; no such effect was found for British subjects. British women reported being prepared to reveal significantly more to a psychiatrist of the same race as themselves; this effect was not observed in any of the other three subgroups. Implications of these findings for clinical practice are discussed.
Dietary restraint in young adolescent girls: A functional analysis
Authors: Hill Andrew J. , Rogers Peter J. , Blundell John E.
Published: July 2011

An investigation of dietary restraint during adolescence was conducted in two phases. First, two school classes of 12‐ and 14‐year‐old girls completed a restraint questionnaire. Second, the functional nature of the restraint scores was assessed in 24 girls from each age group using a procedure previously shown to lead to overeating in restrained adults. A wide distribution of restraint scores was found, with restrained individuals present in both age groups. Restraint was found to be functional, predicting higher food consumption in a taste test after imagining eating highly palatable foods. Hunger ratings were elevated by the imagination procedure, although the extent of this increase was similar for both restrained and unrestrained girls. The girls' body weight index was significantly correlated with degree of restraint. The existence and breakdown of restraint at this young age is regarded with concern, particularly in view of the links between dieting and eating disorders.
A phenomenon‐oriented strategy in depression research
Authors: Shapiro M. B.
Published: July 2011

This paper discusses the presence of important uninvestigated assumptions in every aspect of depression research. It is suggested that a general phenomenon‐oriented strategy might reduce the number of assumptions, if pursued in accordance with the requirements of natural science, which aims at maximizing the accuracy of our ideas about phenomena.

Possible consequences of this strategy are: (1) the provisional selection of single, well‐established, target and criterion variables, together with comparison variables, all suggested by special investigations and previous research results; (2) maximizing the phenomenological validity of current observation procedures, in the light of results of research into questionnaire and interview methods; (3) inclusion of hitherto neglected, but scientifically legitimate, individual‐centred, experimental and longitudinal specific strategies: the strategies of choice for the investigation of psychological processes; (4) invention of tactics to facilitate the ethically acceptable use of scientific method in investigations of clinically relevant psychological phenomena; (5) explication and eventual testing of all assumptions; (6) focus upon the understanding, prediction and control of well‐established clinically relevant phenomena, with theory playing a secondary role of facilitating systematic investigation; and (7) immediate restriction, and eventual cessation, of the use of current forms of psychiatric diagnosis in fundamental depression research.
A controlled study of combined hormonal and psychological treatment for sexual unresponsiveness in women
Authors: Dow Michael G. T. , Gallagher James
Published: July 2011

Thirty couples, whose presenting complaint was general sexual unresponsiveness in the female partner, were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups: testosterone plus sexual counselling; placebo plus the same form of counselling; or testosterone alone. Therapy was time‐limited to 16 weeks, and assessments were conducted pre‐treatment, at the end of treatment and at a four‐month follow‐up.

There were no notable differences in outcome between the two counselling groups, both of which showed significantly greater improvement on a number of measures of sexual and general interpersonal adjustment and attitude change than the group that received testosterone alone. Although a significant improvement with testosterone alone was found on ratings of vaginal lubrication, frequency of sexual interest and coital pleasure, significant changes on the same variables were also apparent in the other two groups. On no measure was testosterone alone shown to be significantly superior to either of the other two treatments.

These results, in accordance with those of other recent related research, therefore indicate no significant advantages in using testosterone with an otherwise unselected sample of sexually unresponsive women.
Correlations of session evaluations with treatment outcome
Authors: Stiles William B. , Shapiro David A. , Firth‐Cozens Jenny A.
Published: July 2011

Do evaluations of psychotherapy sessions predict treatment outcome? Clients (n = 40) and their therapists rated each session (n = 16 per client) of their brief therapy on the Session Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ), which yields indices of session Depth (power, value) and Smoothness (comfort, safety). External raters rated tape‐recordings of half of the sessions. SEQ ratings by one of two principal therapists were strongly correlated with client improvement on self‐report measures; those of the other therapist were not. Clients' SEQ ratings did not show the expected correlations with improvement. External raters' ratings of session Smoothness were significantly correlated with client improvement on some measures.
A comparison of the WAIS and WAIS‐R in matched UK samples
Authors: Crawford J. R. , Allan K. M. , Besson J. A. O. , Cochrane R. H. B. , Stewart L. E.
Published: July 2011

A matched samples design was employed to compare WAIS and WAIS‐R IQ in UK subjects. The WAIS yielded significantly higher mean Full Scale, Verbal and Performance IQs. The mean differences were 7.5, 6.4 and 7.9 IQ points respectively. The WAIS and WAIS‐R samples were broadly representative of the UK adult population in terms of age, sex and social class distribution, and therefore provide tentative estimates of population mean scores for both Wechsler scales. Mean WAIS IQ was 108.6, suggesting that the WAIS yields inflated IQ scores in the contemporary UK population. Encouragingly, mean WAIS‐R Full Scale IQ was 101.1, suggesting that it neither markedly underestimates nor overestimates IQ in the UK.
Identification of tachistoscopically presented alphanumeric stimuli in schizophrenia
Authors: Mandal Manas K. , Singh Shyam K. , Srivastava Pratima
Published: July 2011

Schizophrenics, general medical patients and non‐patient controls were compared for their ability to identify tachistoscopically presented alphanumeric stimuli at six exposure durations. Schizophrenics did not differ from general medical patients but both were inferior to controls ‐ a difference that increased as the exposure duration decreased.
Good and bad clinicians: Supervisors' judgements of trainees' competence
Authors: Fordham Ann Scott , May B. , Boyle M. , Bentall R. P. , Slade P. D.
Published: July 2011

Experienced supervisors of trainee clinical psychologists used 24 scales to rate four concepts: ‘your stereotype of a good trainee’; ‘a good trainee well known to you’; ‘a bad trainee well known to you’; and ‘your stereotype of a bad trainee’. Similar ratings were given for both the good trainee concepts, which were rated differently from both the bad concepts, which were also rated differently from each other. Factor analysis revealed that the supervisor's judgements fell across two interpretable dimensions.
A classroom rating scale for use with mentally handicapped children: A replication of the ADIECAS
Authors: Strand S. , Sturmey P. , Newton J. T.
Published: July 2011

The Attention/Distraction: Inhibition/Excitation Classroom Assessment Scale (Evans, 1975; Evans & Hogg, 1984) was administered to 80 children with severe learning difficulties with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) and subscales of the British Ability Scales (BAS). Factor analysis replicated the Attention/Distraction scale but the Inhibition/Excitation scale split into a verbal component and the remaining items. A new factor named responsivity to consequences was identified. Attention/Distraction showed good concurrent validity with the BAS and PPVT. This study shows the robustness of the Attention/Distraction: Inhibition/Excitation Classroom Assessment Scale as a measure of individual differences in children with severe learning difficulties.
Effects of anxiety and mood manipulation in autobiographical memory
Authors: Richards Anne , Whittaker Tim M.
Published: July 2011

In phase 1 of the study subjects high and low in trait anxiety were exposed to a novel mood manipulation technique. This involved the presentation of either pleasant or unpleasant newspaper photographs. Subjects exposed to the positive and negative manipulations reported corresponding state anxiety decreases and increases respectively. In phase 2, subjects were required to recall specific personal memories to anxiety‐related and happiness‐related cue words. It was found that the high trait anxiety group were faster in response to anxiety‐related as compared with happiness‐related cue words. Retrieval latencies were not affected by type of cue word for the low trait group. Further analyses showed that the two groups differed in terms of their retrieval latencies rather than their retrieval strategies. Multiple regression analyses revealed that, whereas state anxiety is related to an enhanced retrieval of memories to anxiety‐related cue words, depression is associated with a slowing of responses to happiness‐related cue words. The content specificity hypothesis is offered as an explanation for this pattern of results.
Endogenous and non‐endogenous depressions: Relations to life events, dysfunctional attitudes and event perceptions
Authors: Robins Clive J. , Block Paul , Peselow Eric D.
Published: July 2011

A comparison was made between endogenous and non‐endogenous depressed patients on several characteristics on which they traditionally have been asserted to differ, and which play important roles in cognitive approaches to depression. The non‐endogenous patients reported more dysfunctional attitudes and a greater number of recent life events than did endogenous patients. These results support the distinction between endogenous and non‐endogenous depressions, and suggest that cognitive theories of aetiology may be more relevant for the latter group. However, both groups perceived their recent upsetting events in relatively maladaptive ways, consistent with the idea that biased perceptions are more related to the depressive state, whereas dysfunctional attitudes may represent a trait vulnerability.
Factors predicting outcome among opiate addicts after treatment
Authors: Gossop Michael , Green Lyn , Phillips Grania , Bradley Brendan
Published: July 2011

Eighty opiate addicts who had been successfully withdrawn from drugs were followed up for a period of six months after leaving treatment. Variables which might have been expected to relate to subsequent abstinence or drug taking were regressed against measures of outcome. Two variables consistently emerged as predictors of outcome. The number of protective factors identified by the subject and a measure of confidence about being able to remain drug free were both related to frequency of drug use during the first two months after leaving treatment, to drug status at six months and to improvement during the six‐month period. In addition, the length of previous periods of abstinence related to outcome at six months, as did time spent in treatment, though caution is urged in the interpretation of this latter effect. Although risk factors have been found to relate to relapse there was no relation between perceived risks and outcome. Also, the number of coping strategies identified at admission was only related to outcome during the immediate post‐discharge period. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of a model of relapse.
Prediction of survival by the Clifton Assessment Procedures for the Elderly (CAPE)
Authors: Moran S. M. , Cockram L. L. , Walker B. , McPherson F. M.
Published: July 2011

A sample of 261 elderly patients, most with a diagnosis of dementia, consecutively admitted to a geriatric psychiatry assessement ward, was assessed using the cognitive assessment scale (CAS) and behaviour rating scale (BRS) of CAPE. Scores of patients alive at four follow‐up intervals were compared with those of non‐survivors. On CAS, survivors scored significantly better at 18‐ and 48‐month follow‐up; and better, but not significantly so, at nine‐ and 36‐month follow‐up. On BRS, survivors scored significantly better at all four follow‐up intervals. Only at 36‐month follow‐up did the scales predict survival of individual patients more efficiently than did base rates.
Group anxiety management: Effectiveness, perceived helpfulness and follow‐up
Authors: Cadbury Stephanie , Childs‐Clark Adrian , Sandhu Sasha
Published: July 2011

An evaluation was conducted on out‐patient cognitive‐behavioural anxiety management groups. Twenty‐nine clients assessed before and after the group and at three‐month follow‐up showed significant improvement on self‐report measures. A further follow‐up on 21 clients, conducted by an independent assessor at an average of 11 months, showed greater improvement with time. Clients also rated how helpful they had found non‐specific therapeutic factors, and specific anxiety management techniques. ‘Universality’ was the most helpful non‐specific factor, and ‘the explanation of anxiety’ was the most helpful technique.
Relationships between cognitive test performance and everyday cognitive difficulties in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Taylor Robert
Published: July 2011

Cognitive test performance and rated everyday cognitive difficulties were compared in 29 subjects with multiple sclerosis. Modest relationships between test and questionnaire measures were found. The correlation between test and everyday measures was higher when informants' ratings of everyday problems were used rather than subjects' own ratings. The size of the discrepancy between subject and informant ratings was related to subjects' performance on tests considered sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction.
Behavioural and cognitive—behavioural treatments for epilepsy: A progress review
Authors: Goldstein Laura H.
Published: July 2011

Epilepsy is increasingly being viewed as a condition where psychological interventions may offer great potential in bringing about a reduction in the frequency of seizures. Early studies of behavioural interventions (including classical and operant conditioning approaches) designed to reduce seizure frequency were often subject to considerable methodological flaws. The outcome of recent behavioural and cognitive—behavioural treatment trials is reviewed in the light of criticisms of earlier studies. Persisting methodological difficulties are discussed and recommendations made for future studies.
Eating disorders, perceived control, assertiveness and hostility
Authors: Williams Gwenllian‐Jane , Chamove Arnold S. , Millar Henry R.
Published: July 2011

There are anecdotal claims that eating disorder patients perceive themselves as highly controlled by the family and by society, but that they do not show assertive behaviour towards controllers. Anorexic and bulimic females were compared with female psychiatric patients, dieters and non‐dieting controls on measures of eating disorder symptomatology, locus of control, assertiveness, inwardly directed hostility, family control and family encouragement of independence. Eating disorder patients reported significantly more external control, more inwardly directed hostility, less self‐assertion and less family encouragement of independence than dieters and non‐dieting controls, but they did not differ from psychiatric controls. Most of the characteristics seen in eating disorder subjects were also reported by psychiatric controls.
Factors underlying a psychiatric day hospital consumer survey
Authors: Rothwell Neil A.
Published: July 2011

The results of a recently reported consumer survey were further examined by means of a factor analysis. Two factors emerged: the major one reflecting the general perceived helpfulness of the day hospital, and a secondary one which correlated positively with the rated helpfulness of talking to nurses and negatively with the helpfulness of medication. Day attenders who rated talking with nurses as more helpful showed a greater tendency to be married with children.
Clinical depression and attributional complexity
Authors: Flett Gordon L. , Hewitt Paul L.
Published: July 2011

Recent research on attributional complexity with college student samples has indicated that mild and moderate depression are associated with increased attributional complexity but more severe depression may be related to decreased attributional complexity. The present study examined levels of attributional complexity in clinically depressed patients and normal controls. The results confirmed that severe depression is associated with reduced attributional complexity. The results are discussed in terms of the need for a multidimensional model of attribution and depression that incorporates individual differences in variables such as attributional complexity.
Psychological and psychophysiological characteristics in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Thornton Susan , McIntyre Peter , Murray‐Lyon Iain , Gruzelier John
Published: July 2011

Psychiatric disorder is reported to occur in a large proportion of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and psychological treatment methods have been advocated for this patient group. In a sample of 25 out‐patients with intractable IBS, only four patients with psychiatric disorder were identified. The majority did not have elevated levels of anxiety or depression nor was there evidence of significant abnormal illness behaviour. Electrodermal activity did not show the extremes of responding and habituation associated with anxiety, depression or chronic pain. It is suggested that, when accurate diagnostic criteria are employed, a specific relationship between IBS and psychopathology is no longer evident.
Self‐help manuals for problem drinking: The relative effects of their educational and therapeutic components
Authors: Savage Sally A. , Hollin Clive R. , Hayward Anita J.
Published: July 2011

This study was concerned with the effects of a self‐help manual, administered under conditions of minimal therapist contact, on the alcohol consumption of 26 media‐recruited volunteers. It was found that the self‐help programme was effective in bringing about a reduction in self‐reported alcohol consumption. In addition, the order of presentation of the health education and self‐management components of the self‐help manual was important with respect to outcome. The group receiving the components in the order self‐management followed by education showed a better outcome, in terms of lowered alcohol consumption, than a group receiving the same material in the reverse order. An explanation for this is advanced in terms of the model for process of change put forward by Prochaska & DiClemente (1983). Noting that the use of self‐help is best documented for those with less severe alcohol dependency, a number of points for both practice and future research are made.
Violent behaviour and interpretative bias: An experimental study of the resolution of ambiguity in violent offenders
Authors: Copello Alex G. , Tata Philip R.
Published: July 2011

The present study used an information‐processing approach to investigate differences in interpretaion of sentences which were ambiguous for violent or neutral meaning across three groups of subjects: violent offenders, non‐violent offender controls and a group of non‐offender controls.

Subjects were presented with unambiguous and ambiguous sentences. The ambiguous sentences were selected so that they could be interpreted in either a threatening or neutral manner. A recognition memory test indicated that both offender groups were more likely to interpret violent ambiguous sentences in a threatening fashion, with the opposite being shown by the non‐offender group. This difference was found to be significant. A control condition suggested that the interpretative bias was specific to violent material and not a general anxiety response. Furthermore, the tendency to infer violent threat was found to correlate with hostility. The results are discussed in relation to cognitive theories of anger and aggression.
Utility and validity of the STAI with anxiety disorder patients
Authors: Oei Tian P. S. , Evans Larry , Crook Gabrielle M.
Published: July 2011

Factor analytic studies of the State—Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) have provided support for the concepts of state and trait anxiety. This article reports the factor structure of the STAI (Form X) using 205 panic‐disordered patients with and without agoraphobia. Results show that a two‐factor oblique solution is the most appropriate, accounting for 41.1 per cent of the variance. Eighteen of the A‐State items had salient loadings on factor 1 (state anxiety) and all 20 of the A‐Trait items had salient loadings on factor 2 (trait anxiety). This study demonstrates the utility of the STAI in measuring anxiety in clinical populations and further supports the theoretical distinction between state and trait anxiety.
Single case experimentation: A seventeenth century example
Authors: Miller Edgar
Published: July 2011

This paper describes a seventeenth century case which contains most of the features of a modern single case experiment. The method employed was similar to the forced choice technique now used to detect ‘hysterical’ sensory symptoms.
Modifying memory function: Use of a computer to train mnemonic skills
Authors: Johnson Roger
Published: July 2011

This single case study illustrates the potential for training individuals with neuropsychological deficit to develop coping skills by which they can generate their own compensating strategies. Computer programs may be particularly suitable for this kind of training.
Control of eating and attributional style
Authors: Ogden Jane , Wardle Jane
Published: July 2011

The contribution of attributional style to the prediction of adherence to a dietary regime was assessed. An internal attributional style for negative events was found to predict diet‐breaking behaviour. Attributions of ‘global’ causes for a particular lapse were found to predict a more serious relapse during the period of dietary restriction.
The role of attributions in self‐poisoning
Authors: Jack Raymond L. , Williams J. Mark G.
Published: July 2011

Sixty patients who had taken an overdose of drugs within the previous 24 hours completed the Attributional Style Questionnaire and the Profile of Mood States scale. Their scores were compared with two age‐matched samples: 31 medical patients and 71 non‐patient controls. Overdose patients had significantly higher stable and global attributions for negative events than controls, but were no different in attribution for positive events. They were also more disturbed in their mood, but their level of mood disturbance did not correlate with levels of attribution. Thirty‐two of the overdose group were followed up one week later, by which time there had been a reliable downward shift in mood. However, there was no corresponding reliable shift in attributions, which remained significantly higher than normal. These results suggest that attributions may be important in determining how self‐poisoners cope with life‐events, but the relationship with mood is complex; attributions are not simply mood‐dependent, nor is mood level or recovery simply attribution‐dependent.
Word‐finding ability and design fluency in developmental dyslexia*
Authors: Griffiths Peter
Published: July 2011

Certain oral as well as visual language disorders now appear characteristic of the developmental dyslexia syndrome. Recent research has revealed word‐finding difficulties in dyslexic children but has left unanswered questions about specificity and causality. Verbal and non‐verbal fluency in dyslexics and non‐dyslexic CA‐ and RA‐matched controls were measured by means of cued lexical retrieval and stick design tasks. Evidence for dyslexia‐related difficulties was found only at the word form level of access. At the semantic level, dyslexics' word finding was superior. Non‐verbal (design) fluency was normal. Such findings implicate long‐term linguistic memory processes in dyslexia and are consistent with neurocognitive models that emphasize diffuse left hemisphere dysfunction.
Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test for Children (RBMT‐C): A preliminary evaluation
Authors: Aldrich Frances K. , Wilson Barbara
Published: July 2011

This article reports the development of a children's version of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (a screening test for memory impairment in adults). The test is based on memory tasks involved in normal daily life, and has four parallel versions to allow monitoring of change. Eighty‐five children between the ages of 5:0 and 10:0 years each experienced two versions of the adapted test, and undertook additional intelligence and memory tests drawn from the British Ability Scales and the Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children‐Revised. Performance on the adapted test correlated with Intelligence score for 5‐ and 6‐year‐olds only, with Digit Span performance for 7‐ and 8–9‐year‐olds, and with Memory score for 6‐year‐olds only. The results establish the feasibility of using a test of everyday memory with children as young as 5:0 years, and justify trials of the test with abnormal populations.
Correlates of chronic blushing
Authors: Edelmann Robert J.
Published: July 2011

In order to investigate factors associated with chronic blushing, 108 self‐defined chronic blushers completed a series of self‐report inventories. Severe chronic blushing was associated with social anxiety, state and trait anxiety and depression, but not with general physical sensations. Implications of the results for understanding chronic blushing are discussed.
Does the NART hold after head injury?: A case report
Authors: Moss Alan R. , Dowd Thomas
Published: July 2011

The NART is frequently used to estimate the premorbid intellectual ability of subjects undergoing neuropsychological assessment for a variety of reasons. Although the NART has been shown to hold in dementia, depression and head injury, reports to date have inferred premorbid IQs with no actual data on premorbid functioning. This is a case report of a man who sustained a severe head injury on whom an intelligence test had been administered in childhood. The NART produced a very accurate estimate of his pre‐injury IQ.
The PQRSTUV: The Personal Questionnaire Rapid Scaling Technique –‘Ultimate Version’
Authors: Chalkley A. J. , Mulhall David J.
Published: July 2011

A variation of procedure is described which greatly reduces the time required to administer Mulhall's PQRST. It lessens the sensitivity of the scale but retains other features. It uses the same materials as PQRST with some minor clerical alterations and, like the PQRST, takes less time to construct than Shapiro's original PQ. It has been used routinely with general practice and psychiatry out‐patient referrals and is likely to have clinical rather than research application.
Expressed emotion and panic‐fear in the prediction of diet treatment compliance
Authors: Flanagan Desmond A. J. , Wagner Hugh L.
Published: July 2011

The ‘expressed emotion’ (EE) of the key relatives of 30 severely obese patients was assessed on intake to a calorie‐restricted diet programme. At the same time the patients and 30 matched controls were administered the MMPI ‘panic‐fear’ scale. After five months on the diet the weight of the patients was measured, and weight loss or gain in the five‐month period was used as an indicator of compliance or noncompliance with the treatment. The results indicated that the obese patients showed more anxiety (measured by the panic‐fear scale) than did the control subjects. Compliant patients had lower panic‐fear scores than did non‐compliant patients, and patients living with a high EE relative were much less likely to comply with treatment than were those living with a low EE relative. Patients with a high EE relative were more likely to have a high panic‐fear score. The results suggest that dietary treatments for obesity need to be accompanied by both individual and family behavioural interventions.
The focus of pessimism in performance assessments by the depressed
Authors: Fisher Shirley
Published: July 2011

The study concerns the microstructure of pessimistic judgements concerning personal performance in the depressed. The cognitive bias hypothesis was only supported for global estimates of performance and not for trial‐by‐trial decisions. This weakens the view that there is a fixed cognitive pessimistic bias and leaves open the possibility either that differences relate to the assessment of frequency or to protective strategies operated by the depressed.
Strict and inconsistent discipline in childhood: Consequences for adolescent mental health
Authors: Feehan Michael , McGee Rob , Stanton Warren R. , Silva Phil A.
Published: July 2011

Recent reviews have suggested an association between discipline experienced in childhood and the development of later psychopathology. As part of a longitudinal study of the health and development of a large sample of New Zealand children, maternal reports of strict and inconsistent discipline were obtained when the sample members were aged 7 and 9 years. It was found that inconsistency was associated with early behaviour problems, but strictness was not. At age 15 years the prevalence of DSM‐III disorders in the sample was established. Univariate analyses showed significant associations between inconsistency and low levels of strictness with externalizing disorder. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that in the presence of other predictor variables including childhood problem behaviour, these associations only approached significance. However, when the two ratings were combined, rates of disorder for those who experienced more relaxed and inconsistent discipline were double the rates found in the sample remainder. No significant association was found between discipline and internalizing disorder.
Aftermaths of combat stress reactions: A three‐year study
Authors: Solomon Zahava , Mikulincer Mario
Published: July 2011

The current study provides an overview of a study assessing the psychological and somatic health adjustment of Lebanon War veterans one, two and three years after the war, comparing combat stress reactions (CSR) casualties with controls. Findings indicated that combat‐related psychopathology was overwhelmingly more prevalent among CSR casualties than among their matched controls one, two and three years after war. In addition, the passage of time had no effect on the relative psychiatric symptomatology, social functioning, self‐efficacy, and somatic complaints in either of the two study groups. This stable mental health status of the CSR casualty over the three years of the study contrasts with the observed decline in trauma‐related distress in the third year. Results are discussed in terms of the emotional sequelae of war trauma.
Attributional style and depression: A controlled comparison of remitted unipolar and bipolar patients
Authors: Tracy A. , Bauwens F. , Martin F. , Pardoen D. , Mendlewicz J.
Published: July 2011

Attributional style was investigated in remitted affective disorder patients (23 unipolars and 26 bipolars) and 26 non‐psychiatric controls. We found a specific cognitive vulnerability in unipolars. Unipolars attributed negative events to causes that were more stable – but not more internal nor more global – than bipolars and controls, and did not attach more importance to these events. Attributional vulnerability seemed more apparent in patients with longer histories of depression.
Staff attitudes towards patients: The influence of causal attributions for illness
Authors: Marteau Theresa M. , Riordan Danny C.
Published: July 2011

The aim of this study is to determine whether staff attitudes towards patients are affected by staff causal attributions. Forty‐eight nurses and doctors were presented with five case histories of patients suffering from lung cancer, liver cirrhosis myocardial infarction, breast lump and cervical cancer. There were two versions of each case: one patient had followed and the other had ignored a relevant health action (e.g. not smoking in the lung cancer patients). Subjects responded to just one version of each case. For all five conditions, staff had significantly more negative attitudes towards patients who had not undertaken a relevant health behaviour compared with patients who had undertaken a relevant health behaviour. A second group of nurses rated it as more likely that this latter group of patients could have prevented their illnesses. The results suggest that information about a patient's health habits prior to illness influence staff attitudes to that patient. Evidence is presented suggesting that the effect of this information is mediated by perceived controllability of the illness, as predicted by an attributional model of helping behaviour.
Eating attitudes in survivors of unwanted sexual experiences
Authors: Williams Helen J. , Wagner Hugh L. , Calam Rachel M.
Published: July 2011

To investigate an hypothesized link between unwanted sexual experiences in childhood and later problems with eating, 21 survivors of sexual abuse completed three questionnaires: the Eating Attitudes Test, the Sexual Events Questionnaire, and the General Health Questionnaire. These women scored high on the EAT, and scores were higher for women who reported more sexual experiences. A similar relation was found between number of sexual experiences and depression, and anxiety and insomnia, but not with somatic symptoms. The implications of these findings for intervention in sexual abuse and eating disorder cases are discussed.
Psychotic patients' attributions for mental illness*
Authors: Molvaer Janitha , Hantzi Alexandra , Papadatos Yannis
Published: July 2011

The study examined the attributions concerning mental illness of young psychotic out‐patients participating in a rehabilitation programme. The sample consisted of 50 men and 33 women (mean age 26 yrs) diagnosed by their treating psychiatrist as psychotic, with main symptoms: hallucinations (59 per cent), depression (12 per cent), non‐specific (29 per cent). Subjects replied to a personally administered questionnaire, designed to obtain ratings of importance for several causes of mental illness, and a measure of how optimistic they felt about their future psychological health. Factor analysis of the subjects' ratings revealed three factors: ‘Family — Relationships’, ‘Personal Inadequacy’ and ‘Chance’, accounting for 48 per cent of the variance. Except for gender, demographic variables (age, educational level, social class) and variables specific to the sample in question (type of symptoms, length of participation in the programme) did not differentiate significantly subjects' beliefs about their illness. However, the findings suggest that lower ratings of personal inadequacy may be associated with increased optimism about subjects' future mental health.
Information giving in oncology: A preliminary study of tape‐recorder use
Authors: North Nigel , Cornbleet Michael A. , Knowles Gillian , Leonard Robert C. F.
Published: July 2011

This paper describes a pilot study of information giving in an oncology setting. This was achieved by randomly allocating patients to having their consultation tape‐recorded or not. The results suggest that this approach increases the retention of information in patients as well as reducing their levels of anxiety. The method is cheap and easy to use, acceptable to patients and their families, and does not inhibit the consultation process.
Monitoring, medical fears and physical symptoms
Authors: Muris Peter , van Zuuren Florence
Published: July 2011

In this study it was found that subjects with a high monitoring coping style had higher scores on the blood injury scale of the Fear Questionnaire and reported more physical symptoms on the Pennebaker Inventory of Limbic Languidness than those with a low monitoring style. Implications of these findings are briefly discussed.
Pre‐operative anxiety variables as possible predictors of post‐operative stay in hospital
Authors: Boeke Saskia , Jelicic Marko , Bonke Benno
Published: July 2011

The extent to which measures of pre‐operative anxiety predict post‐operative hospital stay, over and above what is predicted by biographical, medical status and post‐operative anxiety variables, was examined in 81 cholecystectomy patients. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that patients who were older, had lower health status and suffered from wound infection, had a longer post‐operative hospital stay than others. None of the pre‐operative anxiety measures had a significant incremental value in the prediction of the post‐operative hospital stay.
Clinical psychology training in Europe
Authors: McPherson Frank M.
Published: July 2011

Clinical psychology training in the United Kingdom (UK) and in the remainder of Europe differs in several respects; in particular, the latter allows for greater variability and clinical specialization with much more training taking place postqualification than in the UK; differences in content and in the balance between the supply of, and demand for, clinical psychologists also exist. These differences reflect employment arrangements and, to a lesser extent, the structure of higher education and legal regulation. Various current and predicted changes in health‐care systems and in the legal and educational context will probably lead to training in the UK and elsewhere in Europe becoming more similar in the years after 1992.
Expressed Emotion research in Europe
Authors: Kuipers Liz
Published: July 2011

The results of increased research into Expressed Emotion (EE) in Europe over the past five years reinforce the significance of the measure, show that it is not culturally specific and can be used with different carers including staff, and across different languages. This continuing and productive research is reviewed and new questions and issues are identified. In addition, outcome studies in schizophrenia, research in other conditions, intervention studies, methodological issues and theoretical aspects are focused on.