Although group psychotherapy is the preferred method of treatment for short-term hospitalized clients, empirical evidence of the efficacy of such a treatment method is lacking. To examine the major themes expressed in an inpatient group over time, as well as to evaluate the methodology for selecting and implementing group psychotherapy, a total of…

Investigations of the reformulated learned helplessness model of depression have produced conflicting results. To contrast the attributional responses of clinically depressed men and women, data were collected from 117 psychotherapy clinic outpatients. An expanded version of the Attribution Style Questionnaire was administered. Forty people…

The 1977 Denver coroner's report found that 45% of all suicide victims received psychotherapy at some time, and 21% were in treatment at the time of death. The literature on suicide places all responsibility upon the therapist. Four major sources of variance deserving consideration, however, are patient variables, therapist variables, treatment…

The construct validity of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) was studied. The IIP was used to categorize 104 patients reporting interpersonal distress into 4 problem quadrants. Results offer broad support for the convergent validity of the IIP and offer knowledge about interpersonal problems and the psychotherapy context. (SLD)

The assessment process can be integrated with treatment and evaluation for helping teenage suicide attempters and families in short term psychiatric hospitalization programs. The method is an extremely efficient way for the therapist to work within a given time constraint. During family assessment sufficient information can be gathered to…

Degree of choice or options in language has been posited as being relevant to the psychotherapy process. To investigate the relationship of this concept to the course of therapy and to therapy outcome, 67 15-minute segments from six cases of individual psychotherapy were transcribed and the language of the clients was coded according to variables…

Data from public and private sectors reveal that few persons stay in psychotherapy long enough to be classified as "long-term" clients. Those who do remain in psychotherapy for a long time are rarely studied because attention has generally been focused on terminators. Demographic, treatment, and psychometric characteristics of 64 long-term…

Summaries of arguments given in the literature both for and against the use of verbal-traditional psychotherapy with mentally retarded individuals is presented. Much research examines process variables in therapy as an approach. Feedback variables are crucial. Results of a research study in which therapy groups composed of mentally retarded adults…

It has been estimated that the most pressing problem in community mental health care clinics is dropout, defined as unilateral termination by the client without therapist approval. To clarify the nature of dropout patients, 133 outpatient records at a rural community mental health center were examined over a one year period. Variables expected to…

In recent years, clinical and developmental psychologists have been practicing in health care settings, including public health programs and hospitals. Psychologists have struggled to develop an identity in the health care setting and a medical-psychological theory for practicing as a consultant with medical patients. Because consultation/liaison…

This article reviews the literature concerning the use of seclusion in psychiatric treatment facilities during the last 15 years. Following a brief historical summary of how seclusive techniques have been used in psychiatric treatment, recent literature is presented on: (1) demographic and statistical data; (2) theoretical justifications; (3)…

Research has shown that many psychiatric inpatients are alcoholics and that a significant number of these alcoholics are not being diagnosed or treated for their drinking problems. The incidence of heavy drinking among psychiatric outpatients and the extent to which psychotherapists are aware of their drinking behaviors were assessed. A…

The course of psychosocial adjustment to cancer was examined in 105 adults with cancer of the lung, breast and skin. Half of the patients received a program of systematic psychosocial rehabilitation plus evaluation, and the other half received only an evaluation, consisting of a series of psychometric instruments and a problem-oriented structured…

The Vanderbilt Negative Indicators Scale (VNIS), an instrument designed to quantify characteristics of the patient, the therapist, and their interactions, was developed as part of an investigation of negative effects in psychotherapy by the Vanderbilt Psychotherapy Research Team. Revision of the original 25-item scale has proceeded in two major…

The demands by applicants for prompt emergency services and by funding sources for greater accountability along with long waiting lists resulted in the formation of a crisis unit offering brief psychotherapy in a problem-solving framework. The services focused on: (1) the presenting problem as it reflected a core conflict or longstanding life…