British Journal of Clinical Psychology

Canavan, A. G. M.; Dunn, G.; McMillan, T. M.

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00675.xpmid: N/A

A principal components analysis of the WAIS–R is reported, the results of which resemble closely those of previous analyses of the WAIS. A single component, labelled ‘general ability’, accounted for most of the variance in the subtests. It is argued that the second component (‘verbal‐spatial contrast’) should also be retained on both statistical and neuropsychological grounds. Varimax rotation yielded two orthogonal components, labelled ‘verbal–general: vg’ and ‘spatial–performance: sp’, respectively. Short forms of the WAIS–R are considered, and an example is given.

Mandal, M. K.

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00676.xpmid: 3730657

Forty depressives, 48 schizophrenics and 105 non‐patient controls were asked to judge the mutual similarities amongst six different facial affects depicted in photographs. Inter‐stimulus distances suggest two dimensions of affect operative in controls: pleasantness‐unpleasantness and arousal‐non‐arousal. Depressives' judgements correspond to the former dimension whilst schizophrenics' judgements correspond to the latter.

Willner, Paul; Neiva, Judith

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00677.xpmid: 3730658

Female volunteers learned two lists containing a mixture of positive and negative trait words. Both lists were learned in a neutral mood. The first list was recalled in a neutral mood, and the second following a five‐minute exposure to a tape of ‘ meaningful’ noises, designed to simulate a busy office environment. Exposure to loud, uncontrollable noise caused a substantial increase in the proportion of negative trait words recalled from the second list, and also a worsening of mood, particularly an increase in tension. These effects were not seen in subjects exposed to controllable loud noise or to uncontrollable quiet noise. The memory bias following uncontrollable loud noise is qualitatively similar to that found in clinically depressed patients or following depressive mood induction procedures.

Williams, J. Mark G.; Broadbent, Keith

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00678.xpmid: 3730646

The performance on a modified Stroop task by patients who had recently attempted suicide by overdose was compared with that of hospital control patients and non‐hospital members of a subject panel. All groups took longer to name colours of emotional words than neutral words, but the extent of the disruption was greatest for the overdose subjects on words which were specifically related to an overdose theme. The extent of disruption was more clearly predicted by self‐rated depression than by any other mood.

Wallace, Louise M.

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00679.xpmid: 2942207

An experimental study of the design and implementation of a special preparatory booklet designed to reduce stress in surgical patients is reported. Patients in this study were 63 women undergoing minor gynaecological surgery. They were allocated sequentially to three groups: routine care only (control group), routine care plus a minimally informative booklet (placebo group) and routine care plus a maximally informative booklet (experimental group). Changes in cognitive variables were assessed prospectively over the course of hospitalization and surgery. As expected, the intervention had direct effects on patients' knowledge, reported information and worries about surgery. It also had indirect beneficial effects on the amount of reported information and support from staff and families. Finally, patients in the placebo group were found to have more misconceptions about surgery and to more often report anxiety in communication with staff and in association with reading materials. Partial correlation analyses showed that patients who have more knowledge about surgery have fewer worries and recover faster. The implications for cognitive theories of the process of stress reduction for surgical patients by psychological preparation are discussed.

Hart, Siobhan; Smith, Christine M.; Swash, Michael

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00680.xpmid: 3730647

Twenty patients fulfilling the clinical criteria of Alzheimer‐type dementia were assessed on the Wechsier Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), the Schonell Graded Word Reading Test (SGWRT) and the National Adult Reading Test (NART). Fifteen normal elderly control subjects were administered the WAIS and the NART. The regression equations of Nelson & McKenna (1975) and the tables of Nelson (1982) were used to estimate premorbid Full Scale IQ on the basis of WAIS Vocabulary subtest score and performance on each of the reading tests. The data were analysed in order to assess the relative utility of these methods, and of WAIS Verbal‐Performance IQ discrepancy, in the assessment of intellectual deterioration. The data suggested that performance on the NART was the best indicator of premorbid level of functioning in terms of the size of predicted‐obtained discrepancies.

Chamove, Arnold S.

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00681.xpmid: 3730648

Forty schizophrenic patients were rated both by nurses (using the NOSIE) and by themselves on days soon after they had completed a period of activity. When compared with less active days, significant improvement was seen in most behaviours measured following activity, suggesting that activity is beneficial in the treatment of a population whose level of activity is restricted. Greatest improvement was found in less severely disturbed patients, more overweight individuals, females and those with lower levels of normal activity.

Salmon, Peter; Evans, Robert; Humphrey, Diana E.

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00682.xpmid: 3730649

There is a need for research to identify the relationship between psychological and endocrine responses to surgical operations, and to discover whether these responses differ with variations in practice between different settings. This preliminary study investigated 17 patients undergoing middle ear operations in two hospitals. Measurements included state anxiety, Recovery Inventory, Cortisol excretion and noradrenaline excretion. All were made pre‐operatively and on three post‐operative days. Recovery Inventory correlated (between subjects) with state anxiety, but this relationship was confined to the post‐operative days. No correlation between a psychological measure and an endocrine one reached significance. There was a non‐significant tendency for pre‐operative anxiety to be lower in one ward than another; Cortisol levels were significantly higher in the same ward overall. These results do not support a view that anxiety is related to processes mediating physical recovery. Explanations for the difference in Cortisol levels are considered. It is suggested that the influence of pre‐operative psychological preparation on endocrine responses deserves systematic investigation.

Steptoe, Andrew; O'Sullivan, Jane

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00683.xpmid: 3730650

Monitoring and blunting coping styles as assessed by the Miller Behavioral Style Scale were related to desire for more information, factual knowledge and vigilant health behaviour in women admitted for gynaecological surgery.

McPherson, F. M.; Gamsu, C. V.; Cockram, L. L.; Cooke, D.

doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00684.xpmid: 2942208

The problem of estimating a patient's CAS total score on CAPE when the Pm (maze) test cannot be administered because of sensory or physical – rather than cognitive – disability is considered. Analysis of the scores of 250 elderly subjects who attempted all three CAS tests suggests that ‘ proration’ of total CAS scores from I/O and MA scores, while preferable to alternative methods, results in error in a significant proportion of cases and should be used only with caution.