Racial differences in psychotic symptoms among combat veterans with PTSD.

We tested the hypothesis that race may influence clinical presentation and symptomatology in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). African-American and Caucasian veterans were administered the Psychotic Screen Module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), and other psychometric measures at a Veterans Affairs outpatient PTSD clinic. Subjects were consecutive referrals who were not matched for level of combat trauma or preexisting trauma; however, there were no group differences in other relevant demographic or diagnostic variables. Significant racial differences, with modest effect sizes, were found on clinician ratings of psychotic symptoms, MMPI-2 scale 6 ("paranoia"), and a measure of dissociation. No significant differences were found for the MMPI-2 scale 8 ("schizophrenia"), or on measures that might suggest comorbid depression or anxiety. African-Americans with PTSD endorsed more items suggesting positive symptoms of psychosis, without higher rates of primary psychosis, depression, or anxiety than Caucasians.

Predictors of graduate student attitudes toward prescription privileges for psychologists.

The issue of gaining prescription privileges and its potential impact on the field of clinical psychology has special relevance for graduate students. This study was designed to investigate clinical graduate students' attitudes toward prescription authority, identify salient variables that contribute to these attitudes, and ascertain preferred models of training. Only 42.5% of respondents personally desired to obtain prescription privilege, although 61.8% of respondents favored efforts of the American Psychological Association to acquire prescription authority. Proponents and opponents were compared on their ratings of positive and negative aspects of the debate. There was strong agreement that the training should not be predoctoral and that it should lead to board certification. The strongest predictors of graduate students' attitudes were concerns about fundamental change to the field, malpractice premiums, and whether they considered it a logical extension of the field. This study provides a framework for understanding important factors influencing the decision-making process among clinical psychology graduate students.