How was this story told in the mother tongue? An integrative perspective.

Most of the psychoanalytic literature on the mother tongue has focused on the clinical therapeutic encounter. The authors applied findings from therapy research using the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) to tease out differences and similarities in how stories are told in the mother tongue versus the acquired language. This projective test provides a rich medium to explore the individual's inner world, fantasies, thoughts, wishes, sense of self, and self-in-relation-to-other via a narrative that is spontaneously produced in response to standardized stimuli. The TAT was administered to four participants in both the mother tongue and the acquired language. The narratives were then analyzed using two different rating systems. Differences in sense of self, self-in-relation-to-other, and level of pathology were identified using one participant's narratives. Although no global generalizations can be made from one study, the authors suggest that people tell their story differently when speaking in the mother tongue versus the acquired language.

The How Are You? scale: a quality-of-life outcomes measure for routine practice.

The How Are You? scale, a quality-of-life outcomes self-report measure to be completed by patients, was developed to address the concerns of the mental health consumer movement. Specific concerns included using less technical language in assessing mental health problems and developing a collaborative dialogue between clinician and patient. The How Are You? scale is a user-friendly instrument that allows patients to be actively involved in their assessment and treatment process. To implement the How Are You? scale into a recording and measurement system, its psychometric properties were assessed using two samples: (1) An employee group from The Menninger Clinic was used to assess internal consistency and stability, and (2) a patient group from The Menninger Clinic was used to assess known-group and discriminant validity, as well as sensitivity to change. The How Are You? scale was found to have good internal consistency and stability and good known-group and discriminant validity. It was also found to be sensitive to change. Although data continue to be collected at The Menninger Clinic, initial indications are that the How Are You? scale is a psychometrically sound outcomes measurement tool.