An exploratory study of structured and unstructured play was conducted with a small number of severely disturbed and normal children 9 to 13 years of age. Specifically, the investigators characterized psychopathology from a cognitive-developmental perspective by focusing on the Piagetian "scheme" and its manifestation in the play and…

Neuropsychology is an area in which the functioning or integrity of the brain is linked to measurable human behavior. This paper describes the use of the Reitan batteries (Reitan and Davison; 1974) in public school settings for documenting and prescribing appropriate academic programs. Three individual case studies are presented. Case 1 is a 16…

School psychologists (N=119) were surveyed regarding current practices in diagnosing children with mental retardation. Results showed a wide range of responses for diagnostic criteria. Substantial discrepancies were found in relative weight given to intelligence and adaptive behavior, IQ cut-offs and ranges, importance of various areas of adaptive…

The characteristics of clinical problem solving tasks are discussed and applied to reading diagnosis and remediation. These characteristics are: (1) clinical practice is concerned with action directed toward a particular problem or set of problems, (2) clinicians are generally concerned with the problems of a particular individual, (3) clinical…

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 category of attention deficit disorder is defined in terms of diagnostic symptoms (inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity) and definitions. Aspects which need to be covered in the classroom evaluation of a child with suspected attention deficit disorder are reviewed, including examination of the task for its appropriateness; determination…

This discussion of an online, in-house computer system used in a group clinical psychology practice describes the development of a program designed to offer cost-effective testing services for patients of mental health professionals. The report provides detailed information on two psychological testing inventories rendered via computer. The first…

Agoraphobia is the most pervasive and serious phobic response seen by clinicians, accounting for approximately 50 to 60% of all phobic problems. The symptoms of agoraphobia, a condition in which an individual fears entering public areas, include fears of leaving home, fainting, entering open and closed spaces, shopping, entering social situations,…

Two studies explore the late outcome of minimal brain dysfunction in 73 patients in relation to their initial presentation and predictive factors. Both studies followed the patients for a period of 10 to 20 years. Findings from the first study of initial presentation in relation to adult outcome showed that there was a strong positive correlation…

The paper reports on the evaluation techniques and remediation programing for children (3 to 12 years old) with sensory-perceptual-motor dysfunction. A model for ordering assessment information and selecting therapeutic remediaton activities is considered. A sample diagnostic sheet outline is included. (Author/SBH)

There is evidence that students who are given information about how they appear to weigh information in reaching a judgment can learn to make judgments more accurately. A microcomputer system was used to generate simulated cases and then calculate the relationship between the data presented and the student's diagnosis. (Author/MLW)

Prescriptive, decision-analysis of medical problem-solving has been based on decision theory that involves calculation and manipulation of complex probability and utility values to arrive at optimal decisions that will maximize patient benefits. The studies offer a methodology for improving clinical judgment. (Author/MLW)

This paper outlines a theory for understanding social class in men's lives, and argues that poverty and depression are a function of social class and internalized classism. It begins by defining poverty, then explains the Social Class Worldview Model, which is a subjective social class model, and the Modern Classism Theory, which allows clinicians…

This paper presents an example of a patient treated in a school-based clinic. The counselor used traditional diagnostic perspectives to come up with a diagnosis that would be understood by the patient's Health Maintenance Organization. This diagnosis reflects traditional understanding of mental health and psychological treatment, which promotes…

This study examined the effects of similarity to prior examples in predicting errors in dermatologic diagnosis. Two interpretations about the acquisition of expertise are independent cues and instance-based categorization. The subjects (N=16) were first-year family medicine residents from McMaster University (Ontario). (MLW)