Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Ryan, Christopher; Vega, Arthur; Longstreet, Cheryl; Drash, Allan

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.335pmid: N/A

Assessed the neurobehavioral status of 40 12–19 yr olds with a long history (at least 3 yrs) of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and of 40 demographically similar nondiabetic adolescents. A detailed social and medical history was obtained from parents, and the degree of recent metabolic control was determined by examining the glycosolated hemoglobin values of diabetic Ss. Ss under age 16 yrs were given 7 subtests of the WISC––R; Ss aged 16 yrs and older were given the same subtests from the WAIS. Ss also completed tests that assessed associative learning and memory; visuospatial ability; speed, dexterity, and visuomotor integration; CFF; and self-concept. Results show that diabetics performed within normal limits on all tests, although significant between-groups differences did appear on measures of verbal intelligence, visuomotor coordination, and CFF. Although it could be argued that these results are indicative of structural brain damage, the possibility is discussed that the differences observed may be a function of transient metabolic abnormalities at the time of testing or, alternately, may be a reflection of the behavioral changes associated with having a life-threatening illness. (46 ref)

Ryan, Christopher; Vega, Arthur; Longstreet, Cheryl; Drash, Allan

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.335pmid: N/A

Assessed the neurobehavioral status of 40 12–19 yr olds with a long history (at least 3 yrs) of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and of 40 demographically similar nondiabetic adolescents. A detailed social and medical history was obtained from parents, and the degree of recent metabolic control was determined by examining the glycosolated hemoglobin values of diabetic Ss. Ss under age 16 yrs were given 7 subtests of the WISC––R; Ss aged 16 yrs and older were given the same subtests from the WAIS. Ss also completed tests that assessed associative learning and memory; visuospatial ability; speed, dexterity, and visuomotor integration; CFF; and self-concept. Results show that diabetics performed within normal limits on all tests, although significant between-groups differences did appear on measures of verbal intelligence, visuomotor coordination, and CFF. Although it could be argued that these results are indicative of structural brain damage, the possibility is discussed that the differences observed may be a function of transient metabolic abnormalities at the time of testing or, alternately, may be a reflection of the behavioral changes associated with having a life-threatening illness. (46 ref)

Felton, Barbara J.; Revenson, Tracey A.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.343pmid: N/A

Longitudinal data on the coping strategies used by 151 41–89 yr old middle-aged and older adults faced with 1 of 4 chronic illnesses were used to evaluate the role of coping in the explanation of psychological adjustment. The authors distinguished between illnesses that offer few opportunities for control (rheumatoid arthritis and cancer) and those more responsive to individual and medical efforts at control (hypertension and diabetes) and evaluated the emotional consequences of 2 coping strategies––information seeking and wish-fulfilling fantasy––expected to play different roles in adjustment. Results show that information seeking had salubrious effects on adjustment and that wish-fulfilling fantasy had deleterious consequences; contrary to expectation, neither strategy's effects were modified by illness controllability. Analyses of the direction of causation between coping and adjustment suggest that wish-fulfilling fantasy is linked to poor adjustment in a mutually reinforcing causal cycle. The modesty of the effects of coping, however, demands replication of results to confirm the conclusions drawn in the present study. (36 ref)

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.343pmid: N/A

Longitudinal data on the coping strategies used by 151 41–89 yr old middle-aged and older adults faced with 1 of 4 chronic illnesses were used to evaluate the role of coping in the explanation of psychological adjustment. The authors distinguished between illnesses that offer few opportunities for control (rheumatoid arthritis and cancer) and those more responsive to individual and medical efforts at control (hypertension and diabetes) and evaluated the emotional consequences of 2 coping strategies––information seeking and wish-fulfilling fantasy––expected to play different roles in adjustment. Results show that information seeking had salubrious effects on adjustment and that wish-fulfilling fantasy had deleterious consequences; contrary to expectation, neither strategy's effects were modified by illness controllability. Analyses of the direction of causation between coping and adjustment suggest that wish-fulfilling fantasy is linked to poor adjustment in a mutually reinforcing causal cycle. The modesty of the effects of coping, however, demands replication of results to confirm the conclusions drawn in the present study. (36 ref)

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.354pmid: N/A

80 patients (mean age 47.8 yrs) in an alcoholic rehabilitation program were tested for field dependence with the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) and for logical reasoning with 2 Piagetian tasks: the pendulum and plant problems. 31 Ss completed all 10 wks of outpatient aftercare. Of those who dropped out, 67% were field dependent (EFT score greater than the sample median of 135 sec), and 76% were either preoperational or concrete operational, as defined by their scores on the 2 logic tests. The number of aftercare sessions attended correlated –.50, .49, and .59 with scores on the EFT, the pendulum problem, and the plant problem, respectively (all p  < .001). The best predictor, the plant problem, accounted for 36% of the variance in the dropout rate. Results suggest that cognitive factors play a more important role in alcoholics' response to treatment than has been recognized. (15 ref)

Erwin, Joan E.; Hunter, John J.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.354pmid: N/A

80 patients (mean age 47.8 yrs) in an alcoholic rehabilitation program were tested for field dependence with the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) and for logical reasoning with 2 Piagetian tasks: the pendulum and plant problems. 31 Ss completed all 10 wks of outpatient aftercare. Of those who dropped out, 67% were field dependent (EFT score greater than the sample median of 135 sec), and 76% were either preoperational or concrete operational, as defined by their scores on the 2 logic tests. The number of aftercare sessions attended correlated –.50, .49, and .59 with scores on the EFT, the pendulum problem, and the plant problem, respectively (all p  < .001). The best predictor, the plant problem, accounted for 36% of the variance in the dropout rate. Results suggest that cognitive factors play a more important role in alcoholics' response to treatment than has been recognized. (15 ref)

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.358pmid: N/A

In the article "A Component Analysis of Behavioral Marital Therapy: The Relative Effectiveness of Behavior Exchange and Communication/Problem-Solving Training" by Neil S. Jacobson (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1984, Vol. 52, pp. 295-305; , there was an omission to the caption for Figure 1 on p. 304. A correction to the caption is included here.

Jacobson, Neil S.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.358pmid: N/A

In the article "A Component Analysis of Behavioral Marital Therapy: The Relative Effectiveness of Behavior Exchange and Communication/Problem-Solving Training" by Neil S. Jacobson (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1984, Vol. 52, pp. 295-305; , there was an omission to the caption for Figure 1 on p. 304. A correction to the caption is included here.

Faust, Jan; Melamed, Barbara G.

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.359pmid: N/A

Two pediatric surgery populations (aged 4–17 yrs) were studied to determine differences in retention of preparatory information as influenced by time of preparation, arousal levels, previous surgery experience, and age. Ss were divided into those having same-day surgery (12 experimentals and 12 controls) and those remaining in the hospital after surgery (21 experimentals and 21 controls). Experimental Ss were individually prepared with a 10-min hospital-relevant film, while controls viewed a 10-min non-hospital-relevant film. Findings show that experimentals retained more hospital-relevant information following preparation than controls. Older Ss retained more information than younger ones regardless of population. Physiological arousal differences were noted with those in-hospital patients who viewed the relevant experimental film, showing significantly greater decreases in sweating than Ss viewing the film on the same day as surgery. It is suggested that the film may have had a greater impact given the context in which Ss found themselves. The nonrelevant control film served as a distraction for those having surgery immediately on admission, as reflected by a reduction of their hospital fears. Ss with previous surgical experience who were exposed to the relevant film showed significantly greater increases in sweating than those without previous experience regardless of time of film preparation. Consequently, the relevant film may have had a sensitizing effect on Ss previously exposed to surgery. (11 ref)

doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.52.3.359pmid: N/A

Two pediatric surgery populations (aged 4–17 yrs) were studied to determine differences in retention of preparatory information as influenced by time of preparation, arousal levels, previous surgery experience, and age. Ss were divided into those having same-day surgery (12 experimentals and 12 controls) and those remaining in the hospital after surgery (21 experimentals and 21 controls). Experimental Ss were individually prepared with a 10-min hospital-relevant film, while controls viewed a 10-min non-hospital-relevant film. Findings show that experimentals retained more hospital-relevant information following preparation than controls. Older Ss retained more information than younger ones regardless of population. Physiological arousal differences were noted with those in-hospital patients who viewed the relevant experimental film, showing significantly greater decreases in sweating than Ss viewing the film on the same day as surgery. It is suggested that the film may have had a greater impact given the context in which Ss found themselves. The nonrelevant control film served as a distraction for those having surgery immediately on admission, as reflected by a reduction of their hospital fears. Ss with previous surgical experience who were exposed to the relevant film showed significantly greater increases in sweating than those without previous experience regardless of time of film preparation. Consequently, the relevant film may have had a sensitizing effect on Ss previously exposed to surgery. (11 ref)