Journal of Consulting Psychology

Levi, Aurelia

doi: 10.1037/h0022425pmid: 5889718

A report of a year's specialized treatment of an 11-yr-old boy brought to a psychiatric clinic for failing schoolwork. Initial psychological testing indicated a commonly encountered picture, that is, grossly deviant test patterns suggestive of CNS dysfunction, with particularly poor visual-motor and conceptual performances. Treatment goals were: (a) to realize consciously the notion of category, (b) to acquire a store of categories, (c) to learn to scan categories for appropriate selection from them. Perceptual confusion was to some extent reduced through verbal techniques. At the end of the year of treatment, retesting showed improved test performance; school grades were reported as satisfactory; a follow-up 6 months later indicated that school performance continued adequate.

Chandler, Kenneth A.

doi: 10.1037/h0022426pmid: 5825035

Differing processes underlying dying may serve to clarify the behavior of those facing death. From the study of groups who were dying differently, three major processes are delineated, each with its own behavioral effect. Marked differences in interpersonal transactions occurred depending upon which process of dying was operative, that is, (a) the existence of death, (b) the presence of death, or (c) the presentment of death. The presentment of death gives rise to patient-nursing-staff-family behavior that is characterized by acts of aggression, negativism, and withdrawal. Such a process enables a "blind" to be established between patient and those concerned that is increasingly disruptive and maladaptive. Suggestions are made concerning an approach to more meaningful communication with those dying. (17 ref.)

Wachtel, Paul L.; Blatt, Sidney J.

doi: 10.1037/h0022443pmid: 5825036

The basic hypothesis of the study was that the capacity for directed and focused expenditure of energy is an essential part of academic and extra-curricular achievement. 38 undergraduates of comparable intelligence were administered the Digit Symbol subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) under neutral and stress conditions. High achievers were found to demonstrate a relatively stable pattern of greater Digit Symbol productivity with less pressure of writing, as indicated by the number of carbons upon which impressions of writing were visible. This pattern was evident after stress as well. Important individual differences in capacity to effectively channel one's energies into an assigned task is suggested, and these differences are discussed as important determinants of achievement.

Lorr, Maurice; Klett, C. James

doi: 10.1037/h0022432pmid: 5825037

Interview behavior ratings were obtained on the Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Scale for 375 male and 448 female psychotics from 16 state and university hospitals. An hypothesis-testing factor analysis confirmed 11 of the 12 factors (syndromes) hypothesized. The congruency coefficients indicated essential constancy between men and women across the 11 syndromes established. 4 similar 2nd order factors accounted for the correlations among the factor scores in both groups. Comparisons of the 2 sexes as to score level revealed that the males were more retarded, while the females were more excited. Thus, men and women are quite similar as to the kinds of psychotic behaviors they exhibit.

Van De Castle, R. L.

doi: 10.1037/h0022394pmid: 5317872

An attempt to develop a brief, objectively scored Perceptual Maturity Scale (PMS) to measure attributes similar to Rorschach genetic maturity scores is described. The PMS contains 72 paired items from the Welsh Figure Preference Test. Item analysis of child versus adult preferences was the basis of scale construction. Reliability is .90. Construct validity was shown by a positive relationship between PMS scores and chronological age from age 7 to adulthood. Using such criteria as teachers' ratings, psychiatric institutional status, and questionnaire scores, groups displaying behavioral immaturity obtained significantly lower PMS scores than matched age controls. (17 ref.)

Bernstein, Alvin S.; Klein, Edward B.; Berger, Leslie; Cohen, Jacob

doi: 10.1037/h0022434pmid: 5825038

A factor analytic investigation was carried out studying the relationship between length of institutionalization and several other premorbid-demographic variables and the structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) in a sample of chronic schizophrenics. Only 3 of these background variables were related to WAIS subtests. 2, education and aging, differentiated within this sample the same way as in the general population: i.e., education was associated with generally higher performance on all subtests while aging was selectively related to lowered psychomotor and memory/attentional functioning. The 3rd, length of institutionalization, showed negative relationship with Comprehension score, suggesting some impairment in social judgment.

Kanfer, Frederick H.

doi: 10.1037/h0022421pmid: 5825039

42 Ss discussed personal experiences in dyads, with one S controlling conversation over a one-way intercom. All Ss acted as peers in Sessions 1 and 2. Experimental groups were then instructed to assume complementary patient and therapist roles in Sessions 3 and 4. Control Ss continued as peers. In Session 5 all Ss carried out unrestrained conversation. Under peer conditions, Ss distributed time for speaking approximately equally. Under psychotherapy roles, patients were allotted significantly more time, regardless of whether patient or therapist controlled the interaction. The same talk: listen ratio was maintained in Sessions 3 and 4 and continued in Session 5. The results suggest that the Ss perceived psychotherapy as a communication system in which relatively stable speaker roles are assigned to each participant. Implications of these findings were discussed. (15 ref.)

Carkhuff, Robert R.; Truax, Charles B.

doi: 10.1037/h0022187pmid: 5826685

An approach to training in counseling and psychotherapy integrating the didactic-intellectual approach which emphasizes the shaping of therapist behavior with the experiential approach which focuses upon therapist development and growth was successfully implemented with both a group of graduate students in clinical psychology and a group of lay hospital personnel, including 3 attendants, a volunteer worker, and an industrial therapist. The program relied heavily upon scales which in previous and extensive research had been predictive of positive patient outcome in estimating levels of therapist empathy, positive regard, and congruence and patient depth of self-exploration. It was found that the trainees could be brought to function at levels of effective therapy quite commensurate to those of more experienced therapists in less than 100 hours of training.

Kiesler, Donald J.; Klein, Marjorie H.; Mathieu, Philippa L.

doi: 10.1037/h0022422pmid: 5825040

To provide some evidence regarding the relative information value of different methods of sampling from the recorded individual psychotherapy interview, patient Experiencing (EXP) ratings were obtained for 5 successive 8-min. portions of 1 therapy hour for each of 24 patients (8 schizophrenics, 8 neurotics, and 8 normals). The results show a significantly different linear trend of EXP ratings over the therapy hour for the neurotic, in contrast to both the schizophrenic and normal groups. These results, suggesting greater between-group differentiation as the interview progresses, are discussed in terms of their implications for sampling procedures in psychotherapy research.

Snortum, John R.

doi: 10.1037/h0022406pmid: 5825041

Neurotics, alcoholics, organics, and controls (25 Ss in each group) were administered the Bender designs by tachistoscopic exposure (tach phase) and by the standard copying technique (copy phase). Records were scored by blind analysis with the Pascal and Suttell criteria. The copy phase discriminated the diagnostic groups from the controls at the .01 level, but did not discriminate the diagnostic groups from each other. On the tach phase, control Ss were discriminated from alcoholics and organics but not from neurotics; however, the scores of the neurotic group differed from the organic group at the .02 level. (18 ref.)