Clinical Psychology Commons^™

Attitudes Toward Substance Abuse Clients: An Empirical Study Of Clinical Psychology Trainees, Chandra Mundon, Melissa Anderson, Lisa Najavits

Melissa L. Anderson

Despite the high prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) and its frequent comorbidity with mental illness, individuals with SUD are less likely to receive effective SUD treatment from mental health practitioners than SUD counselors. Limited competence and interest in treating this clinical population are likely influenced by a lack of formal training in SUD treatment. Using a factorial survey-vignette design that included three clinical vignettes and a supplementary survey instrument, we investigated whether clinical psychology doctoral students differ in their level of negative emotional reactions toward clients with SUD versus major depressive disorder (MDD); whether they differ in their attributions …

Symptom Patterns Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Deaf Trauma Survivors, Melissa Anderson, Amanda Sortwell, Kelly Wolf Craig, Douglas Ziedonis

Melissa L. Anderson

Details about Deaf people’s pattern of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms remain relatively unknown due to inaccessible methods used in most epidemiological research. We conducted semi-structured American Sign Language interviews with 16 trauma-exposed Deaf individuals to explore their PTSD symptom patterns. Half met criteria for current PTSD, a rate higher than the general population. Underlying this disparity may be heightened rates of dissociation and psychogenic amnesia reported by many Deaf trauma survivors. Future research with large samples of Deaf survivors is needed to clarify this hypothesis, and to inform interventions that more accurately target Deaf people’s pattern of trauma symptoms.

Age-Related Differences In The Association Between Stereotypic Behaviour And Salivary Cortisol In Young Males With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Linda Agnew, Nicholas Andronicos

Vicki Bitsika

To identify if age influenced the relationship between one of the central symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and physiological stress, the association between stereotypic behaviour (SB) and stress-related cortisol concentrations was examined in a sample of 150 young males with an ASD. Parent-rated SB was significantly correlated with cortisol concentrations for boys aged 6 years to 12 years but not for adolescents aged 13 years to 18 years. This age-related difference in this association was not a function of cortisol concentrations but was related to differences in SB across these two age groups. IQ did not have a significant …

Researching Depression In Prostate Cancer Patients: Factors, Timing, And Measures., Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie, James Denham, Gillian Duchesne, Jeremy Couper

Vicki Bitsika

Background: Due to the pressing need to understand the causal and associative factors of depression among prostate cancer (PCa) patients, a comprehensive research protocol for investigating depression in prostate cancer patients is suggested as a way of furthering the collection of data in consistent and informative ways. Methods: A detailed review of a range of predictors of, and buffers against, depression, plus methods of assessing depressive symptomatology and optimum time to collect data were used to develop a model for a comprehensive research protocol. Results: A model protocol is described that includes socioeconomic, genetic, endocrinal, immunological, physiological, psychological, relationship, and …

Body Dissatisfaction And Surveillance, Exercise Frequency, Depression And Self-Esteem In A University Population, Peta Stapleton, Natalie Dzodz

Peta B. Stapleton

The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship between body dissatisfaction and body surveillance, exercise frequency, depression and self-esteem in 121 university students from various Australian tertiary institutions aged between 17 to 45 years old population. This study also aimed to observe gender differences in the experience of body dissatisfaction. Inconsistent with previous research and the present hypothesis, no significant relationship was found between body dissatisfaction and exercise frequency or body surveillance. However, a significant relationship was found between body dissatisfaction and depression, as well as with self-esteem. Gender was also found to significantly predict body dissatisfaction, …

Variability In Depressive Symptoms Of Cognitive Deficit And Cognitive Bias During The First 2 Years After Diagnosis In Australian Men With Prostate Cancer, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

The incidence and contribution to total depression of the depressive symptoms of cognitive deficit and cognitive bias in prostate cancer (PCa) patients were compared from cohorts sampled during the first 2 years after diagnosis. Survey data were collected from 394 patients with PCa, including background information, treatments, and disease status, plus total scores of depression and scores for subscales of the depressive symptoms of cognitive bias and cognitive deficit via the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. The sample was divided into eight 3-monthly time-since-diagnosis cohorts and according to depression severity. Mean scores for the depressive symptoms of cognitive deficit were significantly …

Differences In Major Depressive Disorder And Generalised Anxiety Disorder Symptomatology Between Prostate Cancer Patients Receiving Hormone Therapy And Those Who Are Not, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, Addie Wootten, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the associations between hormone treatment variables and depression, and the nature of depression in prostate cancer (PCa) patients by comparing the severity and symptom profile of anxiety and depression in men who were currently receiving hormone therapy (HT) versus those who were not. Method: Self-reports of anxiety and depression on standardized scales of GAD and major depressive disorder (MDD) were collected from 156 PCa patients across two recruitment sites in Australia. Patients who were currently receiving HT were compared with patients not receiving HT for their severity and symptom profiles on …

Peer Attachment And Career Indecision, Richard Hicks, Victoria Alexander

Richard Hicks

Parental attachment has long been recognised as impacting on life styles, decision-making and emotional regulation throughout life. Peer attachment has been suggested as being more important than the parental attachment styles as adolescents and young adults seek to clarify their identity and choose career paths and romantic partners into early adulthood stages and beyond, though little has been written about peer attachment compared with parental attachment influences. This is especially the case in respect to deciding on a career. There have been many studies on career indecision (and career certainty), linking career indecision with intrapersonal variables such as personality and …

Anticipated Coping With Interpersonal Stressors: Links With The Emotional Reactions Of Sadness, Anger, And Fear, Melanie Zimmer-Gembeck, Ellen Skinner, Helen Morris, Rae Thomas

Rae Thomas

The same stressor can evoke different emotions across individuals, and emotions can prompt certain coping responses. Responding to four videotaped interpersonal stressors, adolescents (N = 230, mean age = 10 years) reported their sadness, fear and anger, and 12 coping strategies. After identifying emotion patterns using cluster analysis, associations with coping were examined. Intensity of emotion, and emotion and stressor type were associated with coping. Adolescents with intense emotions (i.e., highly sad, afraid, and angry) anticipated using more of most coping responses, whereas diffuse but moderate intensity emotion was associated with more active coping relative to other strategies. Anger was …

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: A Manualized Intervention For The Therapeutic Child Welfare Sector, Rae Thomas, Amy Herschell

Rae Thomas

Children who have experienced maltreatment can often display behavioral difficulties; their parents may lack disciplinary knowledge, be less sensitive to their children, and engage in coercive parenting practices. Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) is a well-known, evidence-based treatment (EBT) for child behavior problems and within the last decade has garnered significant evidence to suggest its utility for parents engaged in child maltreatment. This article uses a case example to describe PCIT treatment phases and PCIT research within the child maltreatment sector is synthesized with particular focus on treatment modifications. Successful augmentations and modifications include a motivation component, keeping therapeutic time shorter …

Clinical Benefits Of Emotional Freedom Techniques On Food Cravings At 12-Months Follow-Up: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Peta Stapleton, Teri Sheldon, Brett Porter

Peta B. Stapleton

This randomized, single-blind, crossover trial tested whether participants who used Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) maintained reduced food cravings after 12-months and updates previously reported 6 month findings. Ninety-six overweight/obese adults were allocated to a 4-week EFT treatment or wait list condition. Degree of food craving, perceived power of food, restraint capabilities, and psychological symptoms were assessed pre- and post-test and at 12-month follow-up for collapsed groups. Significant improvements occurred in weight, body mass index, food cravings, subjective power of food, craving restraint, and psychological coping for EFT participants from pre-test to 12 months (p < .05). It appears EFT can result in participants maintaining reduced cravings over time and affect weight and BMI in overweight and obese individuals.

Do Prostate Cancer Patients Suffer More From Depressed Mood Or Anhedonia?, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Objective: This study aimed to compare the prevalence of depressed mood and anhedonia in a sample of men with prostate cancer (PCa) and to determine which of these key symptoms contributed most to the overall depressive status of that sample. Method: From Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) responses collected on 526 PCa patients, direct comparisons were made between the prevalence of the first two DSM-IV-TR symptoms of Major Depressive Episode. These symptoms were then tested for their predictive power on depression total score and Zung’s criteria for ‘clinically significant’ depression. Results: Mean scores for anhedonia were significantly higher than for …

Differences In Neurobiological Pathways Of Four "Clinical Content" Subtypes Of Depression, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika

Vicki Bitsika

Although often considered as a mental disorder, depression is best described as a behavioural-neurobiological phenomenon. In addition, although usually reported as a unitary diagnosis, Major Depressive Episode is composed of a range of different symptoms that can occur in nearly 1,500 possible combinations to fulfil the required diagnostic criterion. To investigate and describe the underlying behavioural and neurobiological substrates of these symptoms, they were clustered into "clinical content" subtypes of depression according to their predominant common behavioural characteristics. These subtypes were then found to possess different neurobiological pathways that argue for different treatment approaches.

Role Of Assertiveness In Telephone Crisis Supporter Well-Being And Service Provision, Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Help-negation (reluctance to seek help as distress levels increase) occurs among Telephone Crisis Supporters (TCSs) who are exposed to suicidal, depressed and anxious callers, and impacts both personal wellbeing and TCSs intention to use recommended skills with callers (Kitchingman, Wilson, Caputi, Woodward, 2013). Assertiveness is a key clinical skill that facilitates the capacity to effectively and confidently deliver telephone crisis support. Due to the highly specific nature of the telephone counselling context, TCSs face challenges in communicating assertively and establishing of boundaries which are important in effective service provision and the maintenance of counsellor-wellbeing. This paper presents results of two …

The Attachment And Clinical Issues Questionnaire (Aciq): A New Methodology For Science And Practice In Criminology And Forensics, Marc Lindberg

Marc A. Lindberg Ph.D.

Most modern theories suggest that interpersonal relationships are of central importance in the development of criminal behavior. We tested the parent attachment scales of a new research and clinical measure, the Attachment and Clinical Issues Questionnaire (ACIQ;Lindberg & Thomas, 2011). It is a 29 scale battery assessing attachments to mother, father, partner, and peers, which also includes several related clinical scales. Sixty-one males (18-20 years of age) from a maximum security detention center and 131 contrasts completed the ACIQ. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) demonstrated that mother and father attachments displayed different patterns. The attachment scales also predicted the numbers of …

Role Of Peer Attachment And Normative Beliefs About Aggression On Traditional Bullying And Cyberbullying, K. Burton, Dustin Wygant, Dan Florell

Dustin B. Wygant

This study examined the effects of normative beliefs about aggression and peer attachment on traditional bullying, cyberbullying, and both types of victimization. Cyberbullying departs from traditional forms of bullying in that it is through forms of technology, such as the Internet, which increases situational anonymity. Eight hundred fifty students in Grades 6 through 8 completed a survey that assessed normative beliefs about aggression, peer attachment, and traditional bullying and cyberbullying behaviors, which suggested that students who are involved with traditional bullying are also involved in cyberbullying. Adolescents with higher normative beliefs about aggression are more likely to be traditional bullies, …

The Interplay Between Depression, Anxiety, Interpersonal Problems And Self-Weighing On The Overall Eating Styles Of University Students, Peta Stapleton, Sheree Empson

Peta B. Stapleton

The world is facing an epidemic of obesity. As a result, it is vital that the contributing factors of this issue are identified and addressed. The aim of this study was to investigate the interplay between overall eating style scores in University students with depression, anxiety, interpersonal problems and self-weighing. The present study consisted of 170 participants (73% female). The results indicated that when social desirability, gender and race were controlled for, depression, interpersonal problems, and self-weighing significantly negatively contributed to overall eating style scores. When self-weighing and interpersonal problems were accounted for, anxiety was found to not significantly predict …

Bcfpi Validation For A High-Risk High-Needs Sample Of Children And Youth Admitted To Tertiary Care, Steven Cook, Alan Leschied, Jeff St. Pierre, Shannon Stewart, Wendy Den Dunnen, Andrew Johnson

Andrew M. Johnson

No abstract provided.

Examining The Necessity For And Utility Of The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (Ppi-R) Validity Scales, Jaime Anderson, Martin Sellborn, Dustin Wygant, John Edens

Dustin B. Wygant

The present study aimed to investigate the need for and utility of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory—Revised (PPI–R) Deviant Responding (DR) and Virtuous Responding (VR) validity scales in identifying overreporting and underreporting, respectively. Since the PPI–R was published, there has not been an independent peer-reviewed examination of these scales. Participants were 384 undergraduate individuals asked to respond to the PPI–R under standard, underreporting, or overreporting instructions. A comparison group consisting of 200 forensic psychiatric patients was also used for the overreporting analyses. Effects of response bias on mean elevations on the PPI–R substantive scales were examined along with the effects on …

Estimating The Accuracy Of Neurocognitive Effort Measures In The Absence Of A “Gold Standard”, Douglas Mossman, Dustin Wygant, Roger Gervais

Dustin B. Wygant

Psychologists frequently use symptom validity tests (SVTs) to help determine whether evaluees' test performance or reported symptoms accurately represent their true functioning and capability. Most studies evaluating the accuracy of SVTs have used either known-group comparisons or simulation designs, but these approaches have well-known limitations (potential misclassifications or lack of ecological validity). This study uses latent class modeling (LCM) implemented in a Bayesian framework to estimate SVT classification accuracy based on data obtained from real-life forensic evaluations. We obtained archival data from 1,301 outpatient evaluees who underwent testing with the Computerized Assessment of Response Bias (CARB), the Test of Memory …

Perspectives On Help-Negation, Coralie J. Wilson

Coralie J Wilson

Help-negation refers to the process of help avoidance or refusal that commonly occurs in clinical and non-clinical samples with varying forms and levels of psychological symptoms. In the last decade the effect has been established as an inverse relationship between the severity of symptoms and help-seeking for suicidal ideation, depression, and general psychological distress, for a variety of professional and non-professional help sources [see Wilson CJ, Bushnell JA, Caputi P. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 2011; 5: 34-39, for a review]. Findings from now over 20 help-negation studies suggest that at least some types of psychological symptoms or processes associated with …

Association Between The Mmpi-2 Restructured Form (Mmpi-2-Rf) And Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction Among Non-Head Injury Disability Claimants, A. Tarescavage, D. Wygant, R. Gervais, Y. Ben-Porath

Dustin B. Wygant

The current study examined the over-reporting Validity Scales of the MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008/2011) in relation to the Slick, Sherman, and Iverson (1999) criteria for the diagnosis of Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction in a sample of 916 consecutive non-head injury disability claimants. The classification of Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction was based on scores from several cognitive symptom validity tests and response bias indicators built into traditional neuropsychological tests. Higher scores on MMPI-2-RF Validity Scales, particularly the Response Bias Scale (Gervais, Ben-Porath, Wygant, & Green, 2007), were associated with probable and definite Malingered Neurocognitive Dysfunction. The MMPI-2-RF's Validity Scales …

Elaborating On The Construct Validity Of The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure In A Criminal Offender Sample, Jennifer Stanley, Dustin Wygant, Martin Sellborn

Dustin B. Wygant

Patrick, Fowles, and Krueger (2009) developed the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy in an effort to integrate historical theories and contemporary measurement models. The model proposes 3 phenotypic domains of boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. Patrick (2010) developed the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM), a 58-item self-report measure, to index these 3 domains. This study examined the construct validity of the TriPM in a sample of incarcerated offenders (N = 141) and found evidence of good construct validity in that the scales were related to conceptually relevant normal-range and dysfunctional personality trait criteria, as well as narcissism and deficits in empathy.

DOI:10.1080/00223891.2012.735302

Viewing Psychopathy From The Perspective Of The Personality Psychopathology Five Model: Implications For Dsm-5, Dustin Wygant, Martin Sellbom

Dustin B. Wygant

The current study examined the association between domains from the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5; Harkness & McNulty, 1994) model, which is a dimensional model of pathological personality that corresponds closely to the proposed domains of the DSM-5, and psychopathy as indexed by the Psychopathy Checklist-Screening Version (PCL-SV; Hart, Cox, & Hare, 1995). The sample comprised 99 individuals undergoing forensic psychological evaluations. The PSY-5 domain of Aggressiveness was strongly associated with the PCL-SV global measure of psychopathy, as well as both PCL-SV parts and the four facets. The PSY-5 domain Disconstraint was preferentially associated with the behavioral facets of psychopathy, whereas …

Finding Benefits In The Aftermath Of Australia's Black Saturday Bushfires: Can Distant Witnesses Find Benefits And Do Benefits Found Relate To Better Adjustment?, Christina Samios, Kerrilee Hollows

Christina Samios

This study aimed to extend the meaning literature beyond finding meaning in personal trauma by examining the benefits found by persons who were distant witnesses to Australia’s Black Saturday bushfires. One hundred and twenty-five university students who witnessed the bushfires through the media completed measures of meaning making coping, benefits found, and adjustment. The most strongly endorsed categories of benefits found by distant witnesses were increased faith in people and increased compassion. After controlling for demographics, the duration of media exposure to the bushfires and meaning making coping, hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that the perceived benefit of enhanced self-efficacy …

Clinical Benefits Of Emotional Freedom Techniques On Food Cravings At 12-Months Follow-Up: A Randomised Controlled Trial, Peta Stapleton, Terri Sheldon, Brett Porter

Peta B. Stapleton

This randomised, single-blind, crossover trial tested whether Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) maintained reduced food cravings in participants after 12-months, and updates previously reported 6-month findings. Ninety-six overweight/obese adults were allocated to a four-week EFT treatment or waitlist condition. Degree of food craving, perceived power of food, restraint capabilities and psychological symptoms were assessed at pre-, post- and 12-month follow-up for collapsed groups. Significant improvements occurred in weight, body mass index, food cravings, subjective power of food, craving restraint and psychological coping for EFT participants from pre- to 12-months (p<0.05). It appears EFT can result in maintaining reduced cravings over time and impact upon weight and BMI in overweight and obese individuals.

Development And Construct Validation Of Mmpi-2-Rf Indices Of Global Psychopathy, Fearless-Dominance, And Impulsive-Antisociality, Martin Sellbom, Yossef Ben-Porath, Christopher Patrick, Dustin Wygant, Diane Gartland, Kathleen Stafford

Dustin B. Wygant

This paper reports on three psychopathy indices derived from scores on the MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008). In Study 1, we describe the development of such indices referenced to the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI; Lilienfeld & Andrews, 1996) and its two distinguishable facets, Fearless-Dominance and Impulsive-Antisociality. We estimated psychopathy scores by regressing PPI scores onto conceptually selected MMPI-2-RF scales in a combined sample of 825 college students and correctional inmates. In Study 2, we explored the construct validity of these psychopathy measures in college student and correctional samples. The measures demonstrated conceptually expected patterns of associations with …

Relationship – The Fourth “R” In Our Schools, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

No abstract provided.

Brief Report: Need For Autonomy And Other Perceived Barriers Relating To Adolescents’ Intentions To Seek Professional Mental Health Care., Coralie J. Wilson, Frank P. Deane

Coralie J Wilson

The current study examined the relationship between belief-based barriers to seeking professional mental health care and help-seeking intentions in a sample of 1037 adolescents. From early adolescence to adulthood, for males and females, the need for autonomy was a strong barrier to seeking professional mental health care. Help-seeking fears were weaker in the older age groups. Having lower perceived need for autonomy and believing that prior mental health care was helpful was significantly associated with higher intentions to seek future professional mental health care. Implications for prevention and overcoming barriers to seeking mental health care are suggested.

Racial/Ethnic Differences In Depressive Symptoms And Treatment Effect Among Patients With Myocardial Infarction From The Enhancing Recovery In Coronary Heart Disease (Enrichd) Trial, Hsin-Hua C. Lin

H. Cynthia Lin

No abstract provided.