bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The concurrent validity of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)
Authors: Startup Mike , Jackson Mike C. , Bendix Sue 
Published: February 2003

Background: Few studies of the validity of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) have been published and none has shown how GAF ratings are associated with concurrent ratings of symptoms and social functioning. This article provides such data.Method: Patients suffering from schizophrenia were assessed at admission to hospital and at six‐ and 12‐month follow‐up, using the GAF, the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and the Social Behaviour Schedule.Results: GAF ratings were highly correlated with ratings of symptoms and social behaviour at both follow‐ups but not at initial assessment, although the inter‐rater reliabilities for the measures were good.Conclusions: The GAF can be rated reliably after minimal training. It provides a valid summary of symptoms and social functioning among schizophrenic patients provided they are not assessed when suffering from acute psychotic episodes.
Relationship between fluid intelligence and ability to benefit from cognitive‐behavioural therapy in older adults: A preliminary investigation
Authors: Doubleday Elizabeth K. , King Paul , Papageorgiou Costas 
Published: February 2003

Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the hypothesis that fluid intelligence in older adults is associated with the ability to benefit from cognitive‐behavioural therapy (CBT), but unrelated to the ability to benefit from non‐directive supportive counselling (SC).Method: A sample of 32 older adults who had completed a randomized controlled trial course of either CBT (N = 16) or SC (N = 16) for anxiety disorders took part in the study. The Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (RCPM) test was used to assess fluid intelligence. The Beck Anxiety Inventory change scores between pre‐treatment and post‐treatment were used as an index of ability to benefit from therapy. A measure of depressive symptomatology was also administered to control statistically for the effects of depression on intellectual functioning.Results: The results for the SC group showed a significant and positive association between fluid intelligence scores and anxiety change scores, such that older adults with higher levels of fluid intelligence demonstrated the most benefit from this intervention. In contrast, there was no significant association between level of fluid intelligence and ability to benefit from therapy in the CBT group.Conclusion: CBT for anxiety disorders is suitable for older adults, irrespective of their fluid intelligence, while the nature of SC may render it more sensitive to level of fluid intelligence.
Coping effectiveness training for people with spinal cord injury: Preliminary results of a controlled trial
Authors: King Charles , Kennedy Paul 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. To develop and evaluate a brief group‐based psychological intervention for improving psychological adjustment and enhancing adaptive coping following spinal cord injury. The Coping Effectiveness Training (CET) programme is grounded on the cognitive theory of stress and coping of Lazarus & Folkman (1984), and represents an original adaptation of the theory to the needs of this client group.Design. A controlled trial comparing patients receiving the CET intervention to matched controls in measures of psychological adjustment and coping was used.Methods. Nineteen intervention group participants and 19 matched controls were selected from in‐patients at a hospital‐based spinal injury rehabilitation centre. Outcome measures of depression, anxiety and coping were collected before, immediately after and six weeks after the intervention.Results. Intervention group participants showed significantly greater reductions in levels of depression (p<.01) and anxiety (p<.05) compared to matched controls immediately after the intervention and at six weeks follow‐up. There was no evidence of a significantly greater change in the coping strategies used by the intervention group. Participants highlighted their interactions with other group members as the most helpful aspect of the intervention.Conclusions. This evidence suggests that the CET intervention facilitated a significant improvement in psychological adjustment to spinal cord injury. It is proposed this may be understood in terms of changes in participants appraisal of the implications of spinal cord injury and of the coping skills needed to continue living meaningful and satisfying lives.
Early prediction of persisting post‐concussion symptoms following mild and moderate head injuries
Authors: King Nigel S. , Wenden Felicity J. , Caldwell Fiona E. , Wade Derick T. 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. King (1996) reported that a combination of emotional, organic and neuropsychological measures taken at 7‐10 days following mild and moderate head injury may significantly help predict patients most likely to suffer persisting postconcussion symptoms (PCS) at three months post‐injury. This study investigated a cross‐validation sample (N= 57) to determine whether the results would be replicated for the early prediction of longer‐term sufferers (i.e. those with persisting symptoms at 6 months post‐injury).Design. Multiple regression analyses were used in which scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Impact of Event Scale, Short Orientation Memory and Concentration Test, Rivermead Post‐Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire and Post‐Traumatic Amnesia taken at 7‐10 days post‐injury were the independent measures. Scoring on the Rivermead Post‐Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire taken at 6 months post‐injury was the dependent measure.Methods. Sixty‐six consecutive patients admitted to any trauma ward in Oxfordshire with a mild or moderate head injury were recruited from a largescale randomized controlled sample. The assessment measures were administered at 7‐10 days post‐injury and the Rivermead Post‐Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire at 6 months post‐injury. Nine patients were unable to be followed up, leaving an active sample of 57.Results. The cross‐validation data confirmed that a similar combination of measures to that found in the original study best predicted persisting PCS but that the strength of prediction diminished for the longer term prediction (i.e. 6 months post‐injury).Conclusions. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Impact of Event Scale and Post‐Traumatic Amnesia in combination are recommended as useful prognostic screening instruments for predicting persisting PCS, but great caution is required if they are used to aid predictions beyond 3 months post‐injury.
Performance on the Modified Card Sorting Test by normal, healthy individuals: Relationship to general intellectual ability and demographic variables
Authors: Obonsawin M. C. , Crawford J. R. , Page J. , Chalmers P. , Low G. , Marsh P. 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. The aim of this study was to obtain normative data for the Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST), and to examine the relationship between performance on this task, general intellectual ability and demographic variables.Design. A sample of 146 healthy individuals was tested with a demographic distribution (age, sex, socioeconomic class) similar to that of the British population.Methods. The MCST and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales‐ Revised were administered to 146 people aged between 16 and 75 years.Results. Most people (56.6) completed six categories, and many people made perseverative errors. Approximately 8 of the participants made over 50 perseverative errors. Performance on the MCST varied with age, years of education and general intellectual ability. Individuals with a Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ) below 100 showed much more variability in performance than individuals with an FSIQ over 100. Detailed percentile norms for the performance on different indices of the test are presented.Conclusions. The performance of individuals on the MCST is more closely associated with general intellectual ability than with demographic variables.
Coping with epilepsy: Do illness representations play a role?
Authors: Kemp Steven , Morley Stephen , Anderson Elizabeth 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. To determine the relative contributions of neuroepilepsy, coping and illness representation variables to psychological adjustment in epilepsy.Design. The study was a cross‐sectional design, contrasting the adjustment of recently diagnosed and chronic patients. Neuroepilepsy, illness representation, coping and adjustment variables were all measured.Method. A total of 94 patients were studied comprising three groups: recently diagnosed patients, chronic patients cared for in hospital clinics, and chronic patients cared for by their GP. A measure was developed to assess each patient's illness representations of epilepsy.Results. Overall, the epilepsy patients showed significant adjustment problems relative to a normative group. There were, however, significant differences between epilepsy subgroups: recently diagnosed and chronic (clinic) patients exhibited problems, but chronic (GP) patients were relatively well adjusted. After controlling for the effects of group membership and neuroepilepsy variables, coping and illness representations, each explained significant additional variance on measures of psychological adjustment. Patients presenting with adjustment difficulties were characterized by high seizure frequency, avoidance rather than problem‐focused coping, doubt about their diagnostic label and belief in poor containment.Conclusions. We conclude that the illness representations paradigm has value in understanding psychosocial adjustment to epilepsy. This approach offers the potential to identify the critical factors in patients adaptation to illness. Such insights into the coping process may contribute to the development of effective clinical interventions.
Parental perceptions of pre‐adolescent children who have experienced a febrile convulsion: Effects of social class and gender
Authors: Hutt M. Josephine , Trueman Mark , Hutt S. John 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. To examine whether, in terms of parental reports, the behaviour of pre‐adolescent children who have been hospitalized following a febrile convulsion in infancy‐without intracranial infection‐differ from a group hospitalized with a non‐febrile illness.Design. A between‐groups comparison of febrile and non‐febrile children and a within‐group comparison by gender and social class design were used.Method. The study compared 57 children, aged 9‐12 years, who had experienced febrile convulsions before the age of 4 with a group of 66 children of similar age who had been hospitalized for non‐convulsive conditions. Behaviour was measured using the Rutter A Parent Scale, the Berg Self‐Administered Dependency Questionnaire (SDAQ) and the Werry‐Weiss‐Peters Activity Rating Scale.Results. The scores of the children who had experienced a febrile convulsion in early life did not differ significantly from those of unaffected controls on any of the three measuring instruments. There were, however, marked social class differences on all three, with working‐class children tending to lean towards poorer social adjustment than their middle‐class peers. There was also one significant gender difference: boys received higher Assistance scores than girls on the SDAQ.Conclusions. In terms of social behavioural sequelae, febrile convulsions do not appear to have long‐term effects. Hence, reassurance of a favourable outcome at the time of the seizure may ameliorate parents worries at this frightening event in their child's life.
Repressive coping and self‐reports of parenting
Authors: Myers Lynn B. , Brewin Chris R. , Winter David A. 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. To investigate whether women who possess a repressive coping style (repressors) self‐report more positive judgments of their childhood on questionnaire and repertory grid measures compared with non‐repressors.Design. Repressors (low anxiety‐high defensiveness) were compared with a composite group of non‐repressors, containing some low anxious (low anxiety‐low defensiveness), some high anxious (high anxiety‐low defensiveness), some defensive high anxious (high anxiety‐high defensiveness) and some non‐extreme scorers.Methods. Participants completed the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI; Parker, Tupling & Brown, 1979) and a 10 10 repertory grid, Self‐Identification Form.Results. On the PBI, repressors scored significantly higher than non‐repressors on paternal care and significantly lower on paternal overprotection. There were no group differences for maternal measures. On the repertory grid, repressors compared with non‐repressors perceived (a) themselves as significantly closer to their father, a woman they like, and their ideal partner, and significantly further from a woman they dislike, and a man they dislike; and (b) their father as significantly closer to a woman they like, a partner person they admire, and an ideal partner. In addition, repressors were significantly tighter on construing than non‐repressors.Conclusions. The results supported the hypothesis that repressors would rate their interactions with their fathers more positively than non‐repressors when allowed to do so on self‐report measures.
Delusional ideation in religious and psychotic populations
Authors: Peters Emmanuelle , Day Samantha , Mckenna Jacqueline , Orbach Gilli 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. Previous research into schizotypy has shown that certain groups of people have similar experiences to the positive symptoms of schizophrenia but remain functioning members of society, such as those with profound religious experiences (Jackson & Fulford, 1997).Method. The focus of the present study was to explore the incidence of delusional ideation in New Religious Movements (NRMs). Hare Krishnas and Druids were compared to two control groups (non‐religious and Christian), and to deluded, psychotic in‐patients on two delusions measures.Results. As predicted, individuals from the NRMs scored significantly higher than the control groups on all the delusional measures apart from levels of distress. They did not show as much florid symptomatology as the psychotic patients, but could not be differentiated from the deluded group on the number of delusional items endorsed on the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI; Peters, Day & Garety, 1996), or on levels of conviction. However, they were significantly less distressed and preoccupied by their experiences. No differences were found between the two control groups on any of the delusional measures, suggesting that religious beliefs per se do not account for the NRMs members scores.Discussion. These findings provide further support for, first, the notion of a continuum between normality and psychosis and, second, for the necessity to consider the multidimensionality of delusional beliefs.
Persecutory delusions and autobiographical memory
Authors: Kaney Sue , Bowen‐Jones Kim , Bentall Richard P. 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. It was hypothesized that people with persecutory delusions, such as depressed people, would experience difficulty when attempting to generate specific autobiographical memories. Design. 20 deluded participants, 20 depressed patients and 20 normal controls were compared on an autobiographical memory test.Methods. Participants attempted to recall memories to positive and negative cue words. Independent raters classified responses as specific, general, imaginary or unscorable. Over‐general memories were further classified as extended or categorical.Results. Deluded participants recalled significantly more general (especially categorical) memories and fewer specific memories than the normal control subjects. Depressed participants showed little evidence of over‐general memories, although they showed faster recall latencies to negative than to positive cues.Conclusions. People with paranoid delusions show information processing features similar to those previously reported in people with depression. The possible contribution of adverse experiences to over‐general autobiographical recall is discussed.
Cognitive approaches to delusions: A critical review of theories and evidence
Authors: Garety Philippa A. , Freeman Daniel 
Published: February 2003

Purpose. To review critically the evidence for three contemporary theories of delusions.Methods. The theoretical approaches to delusions proposed by Frith and colleagues (‘theory of mind’ deficits), Garety and colleagues (multi‐factorial, but involving probabilistic reasoning biases) and Bentall and colleagues (attributional style and self‐discrepancies) are summarised. The findings of empirical papers directly relevant to these proposals are critically reviewed. These papers were identified by computerised literature searches (for the years 1987‐1997) and a hand search.Results. The evidence does not unequivocally support any of the approaches as proposed. However, strong evidence is found to support modifications of Garety and colleagues and Bentall and colleagues theories. Studies have replicated a ‘jumping to conclusions’ data‐gathering bias and an externalising attributional bias in people with delusions. There is preliminary evidence for a ‘theory of mind’ deficit, as proposed by Frith, although possibly related to a more general reasoning bias. Evidence for an underlying discrepancy between ideal and actual self‐representations is weaker.Conclusions. A multi‐factorial model of delusion formation and maintenance incorporating a data‐gathering bias and attributional style, together with other factors (e.g. perceptual processing, meta‐representation) is consistent with the current evidence. It is recommended that these findings be incorporated into cognitive therapy approaches. However, there are limitations to existing research. Future studies should incorporate longitudinal designs and first episode studies, and should not neglect the co‐morbidity of delusions, including affective processes, or the multi‐dimensional nature of delusions.
Neuropsychological assessment of older adults with Down's Syndrome: An epidemiological study using the Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG)
Authors: Hon Johnny , Huppert Felicia A. , Holland Anthony J. , Watson Peter 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. The Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG) was designed for the general elderly population to assess cognitive impairments characteristic of dementia. CAMCOG yields a total score as well as separate scores on seven subscales. In this study the suitability of the CAMCOG for older adults with Down s Syndrome (DS) at the age of risk for dementia was assessed.Design. A near total population sample of people with DS aged 30 years and over (range 30‐65 years) living in a single Health Authority catchment area was identified and assessed using the CAMCOG. The use of an unselected sample ensured that the value of this assessment instrument could be established across all levels of disability in those with DS. A lower age limit of 30 years was used, as from this age significant Alzheimer‐like neuropathology is present and prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease begin to increase.Methods. The CAMCOG was administered in a familiar setting together with other neuropsychological tests. Gender and age differences and the characteristics of those at the floor of the test were investigated.Results. Of the 77 people with DS aged 30 years or older, 74 agreed to take part. Scores on the CAMCOG were well distributed, with only eight participants (11%) scoring 0 on the test. This contrasted favourably with performance on the MiniMental State Examination where there was a narrower range of scores and a higher percentage scoring 0. There was a significant difference in cognitive performance between younger (30‐44 years) and older (45+ years) participants on the total CAMCOG score and on six out of the seven CAMCOG subscales.Conclusions. The CAMCOG, with minor modifications, is a useful test to assess those areas of cognitive function known to decline with dementia. Apart from those with pre‐existing severe learning disability, severe sensory impairments and/or already advanced dementia, people with DS were able to score above the floor of the test.
A cognitive distortion associated with eating disorders: Thought‐shape fusion
Authors: Shafran Roz , Teachman Bethany A. , Kerry Sean , Rachman S. 
Published: February 2003

Objectives. The primary objective of this study was to describe and investigate a cognitive distortion associated with eating psychopathology. This distortion, termed ‘thought‐shape fusion’, is said to occur when merely thinking about eating a forbidden food increases the person's estimate of their shape or weight, elicits a perception of moral wrongdoing and makes the person feel fat.Design. Two studies were conducted. The first was a psychometric study and the second utilized a within‐participants experimental design.Methods. In Study 1, thought‐shape fusion was assessed in a sample of 119 undergraduate students using a questionnaire. In Study 2, 30 students with high thought‐shape fusion scores participated in an experiment designed to elicit the distortion.Results. Thought‐shape fusion was found to be significantly associated with measures of eating disorder psychopathology. The questionnaire used to measure thought‐shape fusion had high internal consistency, a good factor structure accounting for 46.2% of the variance and predictive validity. The results from Study 2 indicated that the distortion can be elicited under experimental conditions, produces negative emotional reactions and prompts the urge to engage in corrective behaviour (e.g. neutralizing / checking). This corrective behaviour promptly reduces the negative reactions.Conclusion. The results of the two studies indicate that the concept of thought‐shape fusion is coherent, unifactorial and measurable. It is associated with eating disturbance and elicits negative emotional and behavioural responses.
An investigation of attributional style in first‐episode psychosis
Authors: Krstev Helen , Jackson Henry , Maude Dana 
Published: February 2003

Objective. The present study investigated covert and overt attributional styles in individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis. It was hypothesized that those individuals experiencing paranoia, as operationalized by higher scores on the suspiciousness item of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) would perform differently on both covert and overt measures of attributional style when compared to those individuals who scored lower on the BPRS suspiciousness item.Design and Methods. A cross‐sectional design was used. The sample consisted of 62 participants (50 males and 12 females) from the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre. The Pragmatic Inference Task (PIT) was used to measure covert attributional style, whereas the Attributional Style Questionnaire (parallel form; ASQpf) measured overt attributional style. The Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Questionnaire measured global self‐esteem. Participants positive, negative, and depressive symptoms were assessed by means of the BPRS, the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms, and the Beck Depression Inventory, respectively.Results. Regression analyses found that less suspiciousness (p=.02) and more depression (p=.02) predicted higher internal attributions for negative events scores on the ASQpf. There was a trend (p=.07) for more suspicious individuals to endorse the self‐serving bias (SSB) on the PIT, even despite the SSB not being large enough to be considered defensive. Verbal IQ emerged as a significant predictor of covert attributional style (p=.04).Conclusions. The findings suggest that increasing suspiciousness does predict attributional style in the early stages of psychosis, although the relationship appears weaker than in reports with more chronic psychotic patient samples. Longitudinal research is needed to ascertain whether attributional style is a stable characteristic in psychosis, or whether it fluctuates between periods of remission and active psychosis.