Adult psychopathology on the MMPI and dysfunctional families of origin.

Adults who were raised in dysfunctional families demonstrate psychopathology on the MMPI. 396 (140 men, 256 women) adult clients (mean age = 35 yr.) from dysfunctional families who were seeking treatment at a university counseling center were administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Analysis showed significantly elevated scores on F, Total Pathology, Depression, Psychopathic Deviance, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia, and Social Introversion scales by these subjects from families with a history of physical, sexual, emotional abuse, or alcoholism. This study contributes to the growing body of empirical research on the relationship between dysfunctional families of origin and adult psychopathology.

Development of a measure of work-related distress: Psychometric properties.

A new burnout instrument, the Generalized Work Distress Scale (GWDS) is introduced, which is theoretically more compatible with the concept of work disability than previous instruments that measure job dissatisfaction and burnout. In the present study, the GWDS demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability as well as known group validity in both care-giver and non-caregiver populations. Additionally, the GWDS demonstrated predictive validity in terms of care givers' strong reactions to the need for assistance with their own vocational distress responses, and retrospective validity in terms of non-caregivers' days absent from work. Factor analysis indicated a 2 factor solution involving an internal (distress), and external (support from others) factor. The present test should be useful in the assessment of a common barrier to occupational rehabilitation, especially when rehabilitation involves a musculoskeletal disorder.

Comparison of the results of a standardized AIDS prevention program in three geographic locations.

A standardized AIDS prevention program, Stop AIDS, was tested with gay and bisexual men in 3 different geographic locations: metropolitan Chicago; Orange County, California; and Phoenix, Arizona, employing a test of AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. Results indicted that the Chicago participants began with the most knowledge about AIDS but gained least in the workshop, ending lowest, while the Orange County participants started with the least knowledge and gained the most, ending highest. The same change pattern was demonstrated in terms of attitudes. However, all groups started the discussion group with approximately the same risk behavior for HIV transmission, and all groups committed to the same amount of change in risk behavior at workshop termination, demonstrating the independence of behavior change from knowledge and attitude changes. Additionally, all 3 groups had the same 8 of 15 significant correlations of measures with no correlation between knowledge about AIDS, attitudes toward AIDS, and post-workshop intentions regarding risk behavior. These results indicate that Stop AIDS is an effective prevention program in all 3 locations, but that this and other programs should emphasize actual risk-behavior change rather than knowledge increase or healthier attitudes to produce the greatest lethality reduction.

The frequency and effect on outcome of different types of interpretation in psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral group psychotherapy.

The therapeutic effects of interpretations by both therapists and other clients were recorded by observers in three cognitive-behavioral and three psychodynamic groups over a period of thirty one-and-one-half-hour group therapy sessions. There was no significant difference in the overall frequency of interpretations made in the two different therapy modalities; however, there was the expected difference in the types of interpretations made. Cognitive-behavior therapists and group members tended to interpret patterns of behavior or impact on others more frequently than did psychodynamic therapists and group members; while psychodynamic therapists and group members made more historical cause interpretations. However, contrary to expectations, both therapy modalities made more interpretations of patterns of present behavior than any other type. When these interpretations were converted into problem statements that were sent to outside raters after the termination of the groups, the outside raters judged that clients improved most when interpretations of a pattern of behavior were made; next most when interpretations of impact on others were made; and did not improve when interpretations of motive were employed in either modality.

Changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior as a result of a community-based AIDS prevention program.

The study evaluates the outcome of a California-based AIDS prevention program, "Stop AIDS." Community discussion groups focusing on information, attitudes, and behavior associated with HIV infection and transmission were conducted in one-time, 3 1/2-hour sessions. Participants completed different versions of the AIDS Prevention Test before and after the discussion group. Significant positive shifts in information, attitudes, and behavior were observed as a function of the discussion group participation. Whereas pretest knowledge correlated with pretest behavior and posttest knowledge, only pretest behavior correlated with the crucial variable of posttest intended behavior. When changes from pretest to posttest were analyzed, both information and attitude change correlated to changes in behavior. The intervention and evaluation procedures are proposed as a replicable national model for community-based AIDS prevention programs.

PIP: To evaluate the impact of an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention program on knowledge, attitudes, and intended behavior, a test instrument for use with gay and bisexual men was developed and administered to participants in the California-based Stop AIDS Project. The intervention is comprised of a 3 1/2 hour group discussion facilitated by a specially trained peer leader and held in private homes. Its ultimate objective is to persuade gay and bisexual men top make a personal commitment to safe sex practices and to stopping the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (hIV). Topics included in the discussion were; how the AIDS epidemic had personally affected group members, safe sex guidelines, possible negative feelings about life- style changes required by the threat of AIDS, the proper use of condoms, the pros and cons of HIV antibody testing, and ways that participants could become involved in ending the AIDS epidemic. 148 participants from 16 discussion groups held in Orange County, California, were administered the test instrument before and after the intervention. Significant (p 0.001) increases from pretest to posttest were recorded for all 3 test components: from a mean of 78.5% to 84.7% correct on the knowledge section, from 30.02 to 31.31 out of a possible 35 on attitude, and from 17.21 to 18.84 out of a possible 21 on intended behavioral changes. Notable was a lack of correlation between information, attitudes, and a commitment to change behavior. Only pretest behavior correlated with the crucial variable of posttest intended behavior. On the other hand, there were significant correlations between both knowledge and attitude change and commitment to behavior change, demonstrating the effectiveness of this relatively simple intervention. Useful would be a follow-up study to determine how much of the commitment to behavior changes expressed after these group discussions is actualized.

Combined medical and psychological treatment of postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting: a case study.

The current case study illustrates the innovative potential of combined medical and psychological treatment of postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting for cancer patients. A 58-yr-old male patient diagnosed with leukemia and on a weekly cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) treatment protocol, experienced violent vomiting episodes approximately 3 hr. after each injection. Emesis was so severe that the patient considered terminating treatment. Control was attempted with antiemetics (Compazine, Reglan), an antianxiety agent (Valium), an hypnotic (Dalmane), canabinol, hypnosis, and relaxation training without success. A re-examination of these strategies employing experimental rigor and data-responsive experimental designs indicated how success can be achieved without the necessity of new interventions. The patient experienced complete emetic relief and at 3-yr. follow-up remained symptom-free.

Goal clarity as a component of assertive behavior and a result of assertion training.

Eighty Ss were given the Rathus assertion schedule and a separate test in which their clarity of goals in various interpersonal situation was assessed. It was found that there was a direct relationship between assertion and goal clarity scores; more assertive Ss had greater goal clarity. The Rathus assertion schedule and half of the goal clarity test were administered to 24 Ss, who then were assigned randomly to 10 sessions of either an assertion training group or an insight therapy group. After treatment, the Rathus assertion schedule and the other half of the goal clarity test were administered to the 24 Ss. While there was no difference between the two groups prior to treatment, after treatment the assertion group demonstrated significantly greater goal clarity and significantly greater change on the Rathus assertion schedule than did the insight group.