Issues related to the selection of assessment procedures, the scaling of assessment devices, the computation of difference or change scores, and the translation of these scores into common indexes of outcome are explored. Suggestions are provided for refining the measurement of inferred states. (Author/BL)

Methodological issues are addressed for those who design studies that evaluate treatment efficacy among sexual abuse victims. Two areas of integrated inquiry are needed: studies that seek to determine the degree to which early sexual trauma differs from other early trauma, and studies that seek to understand how well different interventions fit…

Responds to earlier article by Sexton and Whiston (1994) on counseling relationship. Commends Sexton and Whiston's decision to use Gelso and Carter's multidimensional model to guide research review. Asserts, however, that weaknesses exist in operations used to define real, unreal, and working alliance components. Questions both definitions of…