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Full-Text Articles in Psychology

Becoming Psychotherapists: Experiences Of Novice Trainees In A Beginning Graduate Class, Clara E. Hill, Catherine Sullivan, Sarah Knox, Lewis Z. Schlosser Dec 2007

Becoming Psychotherapists: Experiences Of Novice Trainees In A Beginning Graduate Class, Clara E. Hill, Catherine Sullivan, Sarah Knox, Lewis Z. Schlosser

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The authors investigated the experiences related to becoming psychotherapists for 5 counseling psychology doctoral trainees in their first prepracticum course. Qualitative analyses of weekly journals indicated that trainees discussed challenges related to becoming psychotherapists (e.g., being self-critical, having troubling reactions to clients, learning to use helping skills), gains made during the semester related to becoming psychotherapists (e.g., using helping skills more effectively, becoming less self-critical, being able to connect with clients), as well as experiences in supervision and activities that helped them cope with their anxieties. Results are discussed in 5 broad areas: feelings about self in role of psychotherapist, …


Introduction To The Special Issue On Spirituality And Psychotherapy, Kenneth I. Pargament, Stephen M. Saunders Oct 2007

Introduction To The Special Issue On Spirituality And Psychotherapy, Kenneth I. Pargament, Stephen M. Saunders

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Religion and spirituality have been topics of interest to psychologists since the inception of the field, and this special issue devoted to spirituality and psychotherapy reflects the maturation of decades of research. Psychotherapy clients would like to discuss religious or spiritual issues with therapists, but therapists feel poorly prepared to do so. This special issue hopefully represents a step towards bridging the needs of clients and the expertise of providers. The seven articles in this issue reflect the progress psychologists have made toward understanding religion and spirituality, and they represent state‐of‐the‐art attempts at integrating these dimensions into treatment.


Measuring The Discrepancy Between Current And Ideal Spiritual And Religious Functioning In Problem Drinkers, Stephen M. Saunders, Valerie J. Lucas, Lesley Kuras Sep 2007

Measuring The Discrepancy Between Current And Ideal Spiritual And Religious Functioning In Problem Drinkers, Stephen M. Saunders, Valerie J. Lucas, Lesley Kuras

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The idea that spiritual and religious functioning (SRF) is associated with alcohol misuse is generally supported, but problems with typical research methods limit the utility of findings. Problems in SRF were conceptualized as discrepancies between current and ideal SRF. Two separate studies were conducted to develop and evaluate a scale to measure the subjective importance and adequacy of aspects of SRF that seem to be associated with alcohol problems. The 1st study suggested that a questionnaire developed to evaluate self-reported ratings of current and ideal SRF is both internally consistent and temporally stable. In the 2nd study, the questionnaire was …


The Sensitivity And Psychometric Properties Of A Brief Computer-Based Cognitive Screening Battery In A Depression Clinic, S A. Langenecker, A Caveney, B Giordani, E A. Young, Kristy Nielson, L J. Rapport, L A. Bieliauskas, M J. Mordhorst, S Marcus, N Yodkovik, K Kerber, S Berent, J K. Zubieta Aug 2007

The Sensitivity And Psychometric Properties Of A Brief Computer-Based Cognitive Screening Battery In A Depression Clinic, S A. Langenecker, A Caveney, B Giordani, E A. Young, Kristy Nielson, L J. Rapport, L A. Bieliauskas, M J. Mordhorst, S Marcus, N Yodkovik, K Kerber, S Berent, J K. Zubieta

Kristy Nielson

At present, there is poor accuracy in assessing cognitive and vegetative symptoms in depression using clinician or self-rated measures, suggesting the need for development of standardized tasks to assess these functions. The current study assessed the psychometric properties and diagnostic specificity of a brief neuropsychological screening battery designed to assess core signs of depression; psychomotor retardation, attention and executive functioning difficulties, and impaired emotion perception within an outpatient psychiatry setting. Three hundred eighty-four patients with mood disorders and 77 healthy volunteers participated. A large percentage of patients met diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder alone (49%) or with another comorbid …


The Sensitivity And Psychometric Properties Of A Brief Computer-Based Cognitive Screening Battery In A Depression Clinic, Scott Aaron Langenecker, Angela F. Caveney, Bruno Giordani, Elizabeth A. Young, Kristy A. Nielson, Lisa J. Rapport, Linas A. Bieliauskas, Matthew J. Mordhorst, Sheila Marcus, Naomi Yodkovik, Kevin Kerber, Stanley Berent, Jon-Kar Zubieta Aug 2007

The Sensitivity And Psychometric Properties Of A Brief Computer-Based Cognitive Screening Battery In A Depression Clinic, Scott Aaron Langenecker, Angela F. Caveney, Bruno Giordani, Elizabeth A. Young, Kristy A. Nielson, Lisa J. Rapport, Linas A. Bieliauskas, Matthew J. Mordhorst, Sheila Marcus, Naomi Yodkovik, Kevin Kerber, Stanley Berent, Jon-Kar Zubieta

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

At present, there is poor accuracy in assessing cognitive and vegetative symptoms in depression using clinician or self-rated measures, suggesting the need for development of standardized tasks to assess these functions. The current study assessed the psychometric properties and diagnostic specificity of a brief neuropsychological screening battery designed to assess core signs of depression; psychomotor retardation, attention and executive functioning difficulties, and impaired emotion perception within an outpatient psychiatry setting. Three hundred eighty-four patients with mood disorders and 77 healthy volunteers participated. A large percentage of patients met diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder alone (49%) or with another comorbid …


Non-Linear Dynamics And Leadership Emergence, Stephen J. Guastello Aug 2007

Non-Linear Dynamics And Leadership Emergence, Stephen J. Guastello

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The process by which leaders emerge from leaderless groups is well-documented, but not nearly as well understood. This article describes how non-linear dynamical systems concepts of attractors, bifurcations, and self-organization culminate in a swallowtail catastrophe model for the leadership emergence process, and presents the experimental results that the model has produced thus far for creative problem solving, production, and coordination-intensive groups. Several control variables have been identified that vary in their function depending on what type of group is involved, e.g. creative problem solving, production, and coordination-intensive groups. The exposition includes the relevant statistical strategies that are based on non-linear …


Positive And Negative Sources Of Emotional Arousal Enhance Long-Term Word-List Retention When Induced As Long As 30 Min After Learning, Kristy A. Nielson, Mark R. Powless Jul 2007

Positive And Negative Sources Of Emotional Arousal Enhance Long-Term Word-List Retention When Induced As Long As 30 Min After Learning, Kristy A. Nielson, Mark R. Powless

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The consolidation of newly formed memories occurs slowly, allowing memories to be altered by experience for some time after their formation. Various treatments, including arousal, can modulate memory consolidation when given soon after learning, but the degree of time-dependency of these treatments in humans has not been studied. Thus, 212 participants learned a word list, which was followed by either a positively or negatively valenced arousing video clip (i.e., comedy or surgery, respectively) after delays of 0, 10, 30 or 45 min. Arousal of either valence induced up to 30 min after learning, but not after 45 min, significantly enhanced …


Temporally Graded Activation Of Neocortical Regions In Response To Memories Of Different Ages, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, Kristy A. Nielson, Sarah K. Miller, Malgorzata Franczak, Piero Antuono, Kelli Douville, Stephen M. Rao Jul 2007

Temporally Graded Activation Of Neocortical Regions In Response To Memories Of Different Ages, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, Kristy A. Nielson, Sarah K. Miller, Malgorzata Franczak, Piero Antuono, Kelli Douville, Stephen M. Rao

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

The temporally graded memory impairment seen in many neurobehavioral disorders implies different neuroanatomical pathways and/or cognitive mechanisms involved in storage and retrieval of memories of different ages. A dynamic interaction between medial-temporal and neocortical brain regions has been proposed to account for memory's greater permanence with time. Despite considerable debate concerning its time-dependent role in memory retrieval, medial-temporal lobe activity has been well studied. However, the relative participation of neocortical regions in recent and remote memory retrieval has received much less attention. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we demonstrate robust, temporally graded signal differences in posterior cingulate, right middle frontal, …


Therapeutic Alliance And Treatment Progress In Couple Psychotherapy, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, William M. Pinsof, Barton J. Mann Apr 2007

Therapeutic Alliance And Treatment Progress In Couple Psychotherapy, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, William M. Pinsof, Barton J. Mann

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study examined the ability of the therapeutic alliance to predict treatment progress on individual‐ and relationship‐level variables from the early to middle phase of couple treatment. Although alliance did not predict progress in individual functioning, it accounted for 5–22% of the variance in improvement in marital distress. Women’s mid‐treatment alliance uniquely predicted improvement in marital distress, over and above early treatment alliance. When men’s alliances with the therapist were stronger than their partners’ at session 8, couples showed more improvement in marital distress. Treatment response was also positively associated with women’s ratings of their partners’ alliance. Results confirm that …


Clinical Psychologists' Perceptions Of Persons With Mental Illness, Lynn M. Servais, Stephen M. Saunders Apr 2007

Clinical Psychologists' Perceptions Of Persons With Mental Illness, Lynn M. Servais, Stephen M. Saunders

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Clinical psychologists have an ethical responsibility to monitor the nature and appropriateness of their attitudes toward persons with mental illness. This article presents the results of a survey of randomly selected clinical psychologists who were asked to rate the effectiveness, understandability, safety, worthiness, desirability, and similarity (to the rater) of persons with moderate depression, borderline features, and schizophrenia. The results show that psychologists perceive these individuals differently with respect to these characteristics. The results also suggest that psychologists disidentify or distance themselves from persons with personality and psychotic conditions. Implications for quality improvement and stigma reduction in the field of …


An Evaluation Of Distinct Volumetric And Functional Mri Contributions Toward Understanding Age And Task Performance: A Study In The Basal Ganglia, Scott Aaron Langenecker, Emily M. Briceno, Najat M. Hamid, Kristy A. Nielson Mar 2007

An Evaluation Of Distinct Volumetric And Functional Mri Contributions Toward Understanding Age And Task Performance: A Study In The Basal Ganglia, Scott Aaron Langenecker, Emily M. Briceno, Najat M. Hamid, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Prior work by our group and others has implicated the basal ganglia as important in age-related differences in tasks involving motor response control. The present study used structural and functional MRI approaches to analyze this region of interest (ROI) toward better understanding the contributions of structural and functional MRI measures to understanding age-related and task performance-related cognitive differences. Eleven healthy elders were compared with 11 healthy younger adults while they completed the “go” portion of a complex Go/No-go task. Separate ROI's in the bilateral caudate (C) and putamen/globus pallidus (PGp) were studied based upon previous findings of age-related …


Strengthening The Scientific Foundations Of Professional Psychology: Time For The Next Steps, Timothy Melchert Feb 2007

Strengthening The Scientific Foundations Of Professional Psychology: Time For The Next Steps, Timothy Melchert

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

The field of professional psychology has been tremendously successful, although it has also been characterized by many competing preparadigmatic theoretical orientations, which have led to a great deal of contention as well as conflicting views regarding psychological development, functioning, and behavior change. There is now widespread agreement regarding scientific explanations of many psychological processes, however, and, consequently, it is time to update the basic conceptual frameworks used for professional psychology education and practice. Replacing the traditional reliance on an array of theoretical orientations with a science-based biopsychosocial framework would resolve many of the contradictions and conflicts that characterized the preparadigmatic …


A Task To Manipulate Attentional Load, Set-Shifting, And Inhibitory Control: Convergent Validity And Test–Retest Reliability Of The Parametric Go/No-Go Test, Scott Aaron Langenecker, Jon-Kar Zubieta, Elizabeth A. Young, Kristy A. Nielson Jan 2007

A Task To Manipulate Attentional Load, Set-Shifting, And Inhibitory Control: Convergent Validity And Test–Retest Reliability Of The Parametric Go/No-Go Test, Scott Aaron Langenecker, Jon-Kar Zubieta, Elizabeth A. Young, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Traditional neuropsychological measures of executive functioning are difficult to employ in functional imaging and clinical trial contexts and have tremendous practice effects. They also have poor sensitivity and specificity, while test–retest reliability is often not assessed in computer-based tests. The present study evaluates some psychometric properties of a new Parametric Go/No-Go (PGNG) Task. The PGNG consists of three levels of difficulty assessing attention, set-shifting, and processing speed, with the two more difficult levels assessing inhibitory control. A total of 63 healthy control participants were recruited at two sites to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PGNG. The PGNG was found …


The Process Of Seeking Treatment For Mental Health Problems, Stephen M. Saunders, Nicholas W. Bowersox Jan 2007

The Process Of Seeking Treatment For Mental Health Problems, Stephen M. Saunders, Nicholas W. Bowersox

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

A model of the process of seeking treatment for mental health problems is presented that explicates much previous research in this area. A process comprising seven steps is proposed (recognize that there is a problem, decide the problem is mental health related, decide change is needed, make efforts to effect change, decide professional help is needed to effect change, decide to seek professional help, and seek help). Activities or decisions that interrupt the process, barriers encountered at each step, variations of the proposed sequence, and the experience of social support across the process are presented. Implications for improving access to …


Empirically Certified Treatments Or Therapists: The Issue Of Separability, Merton S. Krause, Wolfgang Lutz, Stephen M. Saunders Jan 2007

Empirically Certified Treatments Or Therapists: The Issue Of Separability, Merton S. Krause, Wolfgang Lutz, Stephen M. Saunders

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Forms of psychotherapy treatment are not neatly separable from one another in actual practice. They differ behaviorally in what they emphasize, but nevertheless they overlap and so cannot be unambiguously compared for effectiveness. Furthermore, forms of psychotherapy are not separable in practice from the therapists who apply them, so apparent differences in effectiveness between forms of treatment are always confounded by differences in effectiveness between therapists. Therapists, however, are separable from one another, and it is therapists not treatment forms that actually treat patients. Therefore, what should primarily be given preference in practice is not treatments empirically certified on the …


Acculturation And Depression Among Hispanics: The Moderating Effect Of Intercultural Competence, Lucas Torres, David Rollock Jan 2007

Acculturation And Depression Among Hispanics: The Moderating Effect Of Intercultural Competence, Lucas Torres, David Rollock

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

In the present study the authors examined the relative contributions of typical acculturation indicators, general coping, and intercultural competence in predicting depression among 96 Hispanic adults. The results indicated that intercultural competence served to moderate the relationship between acculturation and depression. The combination of high acculturation and high intercultural competence was associated with fewer symptoms. General coping accounted for significant amounts of variance in predicting depression, over and above traditional acculturation variables alone, suggesting that an active problem-solving style was associated with a healthier outcome. The findings are discussed within the context of integrating competence-based variables into psychological conceptualizations of …


Pilot Study Of Psychopathology Among Roman Catholic Secular Clergy, Sarah Knox, Stephen G. Virginia, Jacquelyn Smith Jan 2007

Pilot Study Of Psychopathology Among Roman Catholic Secular Clergy, Sarah Knox, Stephen G. Virginia, Jacquelyn Smith

College of Education Faculty Research and Publications

This pilot study gathered information regarding overall levels of psychopathology in a nationally selected, random sample of U.S. Roman Catholic secular (i.e., diocesan) priests using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R; Derogatis, 2004). The study yielded a response rate of 45%. One-half of the participants reported marked psychological problems, with interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, and depression most strongly correlated with the instrument’s overall index of psychopathology. Four dimensional scales were elevated (i.e., obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, psychoticism), as were two indices (i.e., GSI, PST). Implications and directions for future research are discussed.