Investigated treatment effects of three social influence variables frequently implicated in psychotherapy placebos. Socially anxious male university students and staff members (N=48) participated in experimental treatment for reducing dating anxiety. Results support the importance of social influence variables in therapeutic change. (TE)

Explored validity and potential use of Family-of-Origin Scale (FOS). Subjects included 100 adults currently in psychotherapy, 100 adults not in psychotherapy, 32 who had previously sought treatment, and 41 college students. The results showed that the FOS differentiated between patients and nonpatients, but it measured only one general factor and…

Describes borderline personality disorder symptomology as it may appear within a university population, and examines the etiology of the disorder from a Kohutian self-psychology perspective. Outlines case-management procedures with a view to preventing inappropriate contracting with severely disturbed borderline clients. (JPS)

Examined working alliance, session evaluations in brief counseling, and counseling outcome among 61 clients and student counselors from 41 dyads. Results indicated that session evaluations were significantly related to later alliance ratings, and positive alliance ratings predicted subsequent session evaluations. Both alliance and session…

Investigates the effects of individualized relationship assessment and feedback, in relation to simply completing written questionnaires, on the couples' (n=48) satisfaction and commitment. Assessment-feedback couples improved more over time than did written-assessment-only couples. (JPS)

Effects of two psychoeducational interventions were examined. The group that read information on mental illness demonstrated improved attitudes toward help seeking at follow-up, and more positive expectations about personal commitment of therapy initially and at follow-up. The group that read an intervention on psychotherapy demonstrated more…

The present article is a response to May's (2004) commentary on our original article: "A Look at EMDR: Technique, Research and Use with College Students." May (2004) points out the controversial nature of the research on EMDR, and we agree. We continue to hold, however, that EMDR is a promising treatment for use in college counseling centers with…

This paper discusses bulimia among college women, and describes a workshop utilizing structured short-term group treatment for these bulemic women. An overview and definitions of bulimia are given, and research supporting the theory that binge eating is a reaction to excessive dietary restraint is reviewed. Treatment goals and techniques used in…

Enhanced self-attitudes following a psychotherapeutic encounter almost always serve as an indicator of therapy success. In an attempt to enhance self-attitudes through the use of positive mental imagery, undergraduate students (N=72), divided into 4 groups, participated in 4 experimental sessions. The experimental groups imagined themselves…

The present study analyzed patient reported wants in a college-student population from the viewpoint of both patients and their therapist. (Author)

Depressed college students representing several distinct diagnostic groups were studied. Evidence indicates that patients with depressive neurosis show optimal treatment outcomes following tricyclic antidepressant therapy. (JMF)

Two weeks of twice-daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique was compared with 2 weeks of twice-daily practice of passive relaxation as a means of reduction of anxiety, as measured by the Trait scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. (Editor)

Offers evidence that demand characteristics referring to changes in clients' self-concepts are the common factors in psychotherapies. Unassertive subjects (N=87) were assigned to four types of imaginary role playing. Only the demand characteristics condition increased significantly in assertiveness and self-esteem and decreased significantly in…

This paper describes two studies conducted to determine whether there is a stigma associated with being in psychotherapy and if so, how that stigma compares with the well-documented stigma associated with mental illness (Wahl, 1995). In the first study, community members (n=89) were asked to listen to an audiotaped statement from a young man. All…

This study explores interrelationships among ratings by conversational partners and independent observers of empathy, warmth, and genuineness, and relates these ratings to partners' dialogue patterns. The results support the hypothesis that one of the parameters of temporal congruence, switching pauses, relates significantly to ratings of warmth…