Remedial education: can this doctor be saved?

In the first two years of the program 30 physicians have completed the program. A list of the distribution of specialties/practice areas [table: see text] served is provided in Table 1. The data reveal that the distribution of practice areas corresponds approximately to the distribution of physicians practicing in the state. The UF C.A.R.E.S Program provides a great benefit to physicians and their patients. It provides an atmosphere of professional collaboration and encouragement to address specific educational needs and underscores a commitment to providing continuing medical education, meaningful doctor-to-doctor collaboration, better patient care, and reflects a medical model of diagnosis and treatment of specific problems.

Assessment of PTSD symptoms in a community exposed to serial murder.

This study examined the presence of PTSD symptoms across time in a community exposed to serial murder. One hundred eighty four subjects (48% response rate) responded to the initial survey while 64 and 30 subjects, respectively, participated in the 9- and 18-month follow-up studies. Results indicated widespread endorsement of PTSD symptoms following the murders. The most severe reactions were found among residents demographically similar to the victims. PTSD symptoms, while not transient, appeared to decrease over time with few subjects still reporting symptoms at 18 months. These data suggest that violent acts such as serial murder can have far reaching psychological consequences for the community and result in vicarious victimization.

Perceptions of the media in a community exposed to serial murder.

This study examined resident perceptions of the media in a community exposed to serial murder. Residents were surveyed regarding the popularity, accuracy and trust of various information sources. One hundred eighty-four residents (48% response rate) responded to mailed questionnaires. Results indicated that traditional sources of news (television, radio, and newspapers) were the most popular sources of information. However, police press conferences were judged to be the most accurate and trustworthy. Residents viewed media reports on methods of reducing personal risk as beneficial and enhancing feelings of safety. However, details of mutilations and sensational reporting were judged to increase personal fears and led to widespread dissatisfaction with the media.

MMPI profiles of depressed adolescents with and without conduct disorder.

This study examined whether adolescents with depression would produce significantly different MMPI profiles from adolescents with depression and conduct disorder. Twenty-four adolescents who met DSM-III-R criteria for major depression or dysthymia were included in the study. Nine of these 24 subjects also met DSM-III-R criteria for Conduct Disorder. Results indicated that depressed only adolescents had significantly higher elevations on scales 2 and 0 while those with depression and conduct disorder had significantly higher elevations on scales F and 9. These findings suggest that the presence of conduct disorder in depressed adolescents may lead to a veiling of their affective symptoms, thus potentially causing clinicians to underdiagnose depression in such cases.

MMPI differences among adolescent inpatients, rapists, sodomists, and sexual abusers.

This study examined Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) responding among 61 adolescent sex offenders accused of Sexual Abuse (n = 22), Rape (n = 19), and Sodomy (n = 18) and 15 adolescents without a history of sexual offending admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit. Results indicated significant differences between sex offenders and inpatients as well as among sex offender groups on both single-scale elevations and 2-point code types. Contrary to previous research, adolescents in the sex offender groups demonstrated significantly more psychopathology than those in the inpatient sample. Subjects in the Sodomy group achieved the highest clinical scale elevations and were more likely to have scales associated with significant psychopathology as one of their 2-point pairs. In general, increased psychopathology was associated with increased sexual deviancy. That is, subjects in the sexual offender groups evidenced more psychopathology than inpatients and the more deviant Sodomy and Rape groups evidenced more psychological disturbance on the MMPI than Sexual Abuser subjects. Results indicate that the MMPI can be useful in providing both quantitative and qualitative distinctions among adolescent sex offenders.

Clinician diagnoses of personality disorders: evidence of a hierarchical structure.

This study examined whether clinicians employ a hierarchical model in the diagnosis of personality disorders. Using a methodology developed by Morey and Ochoa (1989), the study compared how clinicians diagnose patients (clinical diagnoses) to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) criteria they endorsed for each patient (criterion diagnoses). A national sample of 320 clinicians served as subjects. When cases were examined in which the patients met diagnostic criteria for two or more personality disorders, clinicians used the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder more frequently. They failed to use other diagnoses whose criteria these patients met. Narcissistic personality disorder also appeared to have diagnostic dominance, although somewhat less striking than for borderline. These results suggest that clinicians do view the personality disorders as hierarchical, with borderline clearly identified as the dominant disorder.

Examination of treatment completion and predicted outcome among incarcerated sex offenders.

This article addresses the prediction of treatment completion and outcome of 114 adult sex offender using variables found to predict treatment outcome in outpatient sex offender programs. The variables of reading ability, marital status, age, presence of antisocial personality disorder, offense and victim discrimination, and instant offense were used. Three outcomes of treatment were assessed: (1) those who were rejected from the program during the evaluation phase; (2) those who dropped out of treatment; and (3) those who successfully completed the program. Results indicated that only reading ability and marital status were predictive of treatment outcome, with those with high reading ability and married having the best outcome. Failure of the other variables to differentiate between groups is attributed to differences in psychopathology between incarcerated and outpatient sex offenders and differences in structure between programs.

Bulimia: an empirical analysis of psychodynamic theory.

This study examined two aspects of psychodynamic theory concerning bulimia nervosa, that bulimic patients ascribe to a traditionally feminine sex-role and that bulimic women have difficulty differentiating emotional from visceral sensations. 18 bulimic and 18 control women were administered the Bem Sex-role Inventory and the Eating Disorder Inventory. Contrary to dynamic theory, bulimic women were not more likely classified as traditionally feminine than control subjects; however, significantly more controls than bulimic women were classified as androgynous. Analysis of scores on the Eating Disorder Inventory's Interoceptive Awareness scale indicated a significant difference between bulimic persons and controls, providing strong support for the hypothesis that bulimic women have a difficult time differentiating emotional from visceral sensations.

Sexuality within a Russian geriatric sample: a pilot study.

This paper provides preliminary data on sexual functioning within a sample of 19 Russian geriatric respondents who completed selected items from the Starr-Weiner questionnaire assessing areas such as sexual interest and frequency, sexual dysfunction, and sexual attitudes. All 8 men and 9 of the women reported being sexually active. Like American seniors, differences in activity appeared to be moderated by gender and over-all physical health. Sexual dysfunction among these Russians was less than that reported by Stern and Stern in 1979. Also, the Russian seniors reported tolerance toward sexual topics such as homosexuality. Finally, limitations of the present study and research recommendations are mentioned.

Perceptions of MMPI item subtlety: influences of age and ethnicity.

This study examined the influences of age and ethnicity on perceived item subtlety in Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Scales F and 9. One hundred twenty-one male adolescents (67 White, 54 Black) rated the items composing these scales in terms of their relationship to a psychological problem. The mean item ratings and subsequent subtle-obvious classifications were then compared to established ratings obtained from adults (Christian, Burkhart, & Gynther, 1978; Wiener, 1948). Results indicated significant differences in both item ratings and classifications between adolescents and adults on Scales F and 9. Significant differences between Black and White adolescents were found on Scale F but not on Scale 9, even when differences in verbal-comprehension abilities between groups were considered. These results suggest that it may be inappropriate to use current subtle-obvious keys with adolescents and minorities.

Patient-therapist sexual involvement: a review of clinical and research data.

Core concepts and selected research addressing the issue of patient-therapist sexual involvement (PTSI) are examined. Topics covered include the prevalence of PTSI, its suspected causes, the seduction process employed by offending therapists, the factors involved in patient's vulnerability, the mechanisms by which patients are damaged by PTSI, the types of harm caused to patients, the treatment of patients after PTSI, and the prevention of PTSI. The need to expand empirical research in all aspects of PTSI from the patient as well as from the therapists' perspective is strongly emphasized.