Briefly noted

Robert Carneiro. Evolutionism in Cultural Anthropology. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2003. 322 pp. $37 (paper). ISBN 0‐8133‐3766‐6. Maria Pierrakos. Transcribing Lacan's Seminars: Memoirs of a Disgruntled Keybasher Turned Psychoanalyst. London: Free Association Books, 2006. 66 pp. $32.95 (cloth). ISBN 1‐8534‐39630. Cesare Lombroso. Criminal Man (translated and with a new introduction). Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2006. 448 pp. $23.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐8223‐3723‐1. Charles Lemert. Durkheim's Ghosts: Cultural Logics and Social Things. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006. 294 pp. $29.99 (paper). ISBN 0‐521‐60363‐3. Herve Le Guyader. Geoffroy Saint‐Hilaire: A Visionary Naturalist. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004. 288 pp. $45.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐226‐47091‐1. Greta Jones and Robert Peel (Eds.). Herbert Spencer: The Intellectual Legacy. London: Galton Institute, 2004. 154 pp. £5 (paper). ISBN 09504066‐8‐6.     

Briefly noted

David Brendel. Healing Psychiatry: Bridging the Science/Humanism Divide. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2006. 208 pp. $26 (cloth) ISBN 0‐262‐02594‐9. David Livingstone and Charles Withers. Geography and Revolution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. 440 pp. $45 (cloth) ISBN: 0‐226‐48733‐4. Sanford Schram and Brian Caterino. Making Political Science Matter. New York: New York University Press, 2006. 304 pp. $24 (paper) ISBN: 0‐8147‐4033‐2. Dieter Borchmeyer. Drama and the World of Richard Wagner. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2003. 391 pp. (cloth) ISBN 0‐691‐11497‐8. Arnold Goldberg. Moral Stealth: How “Correct Behavior” Insinuates Itself Into Psychotherapeutic Practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. 144 pp. $32 (cloth) ISBN 0‐226‐30120‐4.     

Briefly noted

Michael McLure. The Paretian School and Italian Fiscal Sociology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. 363 pp. $95 (cloth). ISBN 1‐4039‐9953‐8 Conrad Swartz and Edward Shorter. Psychotic Depression. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. 327 pp. $85 (cloth). ISBN: 978‐0‐521‐87822‐7 Mark Patton. Science, Politics and Business in the Work of Sir John Lubbock. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate, 2007. 270 pp. $99 (cloth). ISBN: 978‐0‐7546‐5321‐9 Erik Banks. Ernst Mach's World Elements. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003. 289 pp. $119 (cloth). ISBN 1‐4020‐1662‐X Philip Zelazo, Morris Moscovitch, and Evan Thompson (Eds.). The Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. 981 pp. $70 (paper). ISBN 978‐0‐521‐67412‐6     

Reviews

Books reviewed Learner‐Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice. By Maryellen Weimer. San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass Publishers, 2002. xxv + 258 pages. ISBN 0‐7879‐5646‐5. $33.00 Millennials Go to College: Strategies for a New Generation on Campus. By Neil Howe and William Strauss. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and LifeCourse Associates, 2003. iii + 156 pages. ISBN 1‐57858‐033‐1. $49.00. The Importance of Physical Space in Creating Supportive Learning Environments. Edited by Nancy Van Note Chism and Deborah J. Bickford. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, no. 92. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers, 2002. 97 pages + index. ISBN 0‐7879‐6344‐5. $27.00 Religions Today: An Introduction. By Mary Pat Fisher. London: Routledge, 2002. 319 pages. ISBN 0‐415‐26282‐2. Seeking Passage: Post‐Structuralism, Pedagogy, Ethics. By Rebecca A. Martusewicz. New York, N.Y.: Teachers College Press, 2001. vxi + 143 pages. ISBN 0‐8077‐4024‐1.     

Reviews of Texts for Classroom Use

Books reviewed: Dianne Oliver, Book and Resource Review Editor
University of Evansville Daoism: A Short Introduction. By James Miller. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2003. xviii + 174 pages. ISBN 1‐85168‐315‐1. $17.95.
Reviewed by John M. Thompson
Christopher Newport University The Protestant Reformation: Beliefs and Practices. By Madeleine Gray. Portland, Ore.: Sussex Academic Press, 2003. 262 pages. ISBN: 1‐903900‐11‐5. $22.50.
Reviewed by Jason E. Vickers
Hood Theological Seminary True Religion. By Graham Ward. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishing, 2003. 168 pages. ISBN 0‐63122174‐3. $20.95.
Reviewed by Debra Mubashshir Majeed
Beloit College Mediating Religion: Conversations in Media, Religion, and Culture. Edited by Jolyon Mitchell and Sophia Marriage. London and New York: T & T Clark, 2003. xv + 407 pages. ISBN 0‐567‐08867‐7. Cloth $115.00. ISBN 0‐567‐08807‐3. Paper $34.95.
Reviewed by Richard S. Ascough
Queen's Theological College     

Reviews

Books reviewed: Educating Citizens: Preparing America's Undergraduates for Lives of Moral and Civic Responsibility. By Anne Colby, Thomas Ehrlich, Elizabeth Beaumont, and Jason Stephens. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey‐Bass Publishers, 2003. xx + 332 pages. ISBN 0‐7879‐6515‐4. $30.00
Reviewed by Victor J. Klimoski
School of Theology, Saint John's University Engaging Large Classes: Strategies and Techniques for College Faculty. Edited by Christine A. Stanley and M. Erin Porter. Bolton, Mass.: Anker Publishing Company, Inc., 2002. xxiv + 353 pages. ISBN 1‐882982‐51‐7. $39.95.
Reviewed by Robert M. Royalty, Jr.
Wabash College Christianity in the Academy: Teaching at the Intersection of Faith and Learning. By Harry Lee Poe. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2004. 208 pages. ISBN 0‐8010‐2723‐3. $19.99.
Reviewed by Roger P. Ebertz
University of Dubuque The Student Assessment Handbook: New Directions in Traditional and Online Assessment. By Chris Morgan, Lee Dunn, Meg O’Reilly, and Sharon Parry. New York, N.Y.: RoutledgeFalmer, 2004. xiv + 305 pages. ISBN 0‐415‐33530‐2. $49.95.
Reviewed by Johannes Strobel
University of Missouri‐Columbia Faith and the Life of the Intellect. Edited by Curtis L. Hancock and Brenden Sweetman. Washington, D.C. Catholic University of America Press, 2003. xxii + 269 pages. ISBN 0‐8132‐1311‐8. $29.95.
Reviewed by John J. Carey
Agnes Scott College Learning and Teaching Where Worldviews Meet. Edited by Rosamund Sutherland, Guy Claxton, and Andrew Pollard. Stoke on Trent, UK and Sterling, Va.: Trentham Books Limited, 2003. vii + 285 pages. ISBN 1‐85856‐248‐1. $29.95.
Reviewed by S. Brian Stratton
Alma College Team‐Based Learning: A Transformative Use of Small Groups. Edited by Larry K. Michaelsen, Arletta Bauman Knight, and L. Dee Fink. Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2002. xi + 288 pages. ISBN 0‐89789‐863‐X. Paper $24.95.
Reviewed by Steven C. Ibbotson
Prairie Bible College     

Briefly noted

Ernest B. Hook (Ed.). Prematurity in Scientific Discovery: On Resistance and Neglect. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 2002. xx + 378 pp. $80.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐520‐23106‐6. Margaret P. Munger (Ed.). The History of Psychology: Fundamental Questions. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. xi + 514 pp. $69.95 (paper). ISBN 0‐19‐515154‐2. James Moor (Ed.). The Turing Test: The Elusive Standard of Artificial Intelligence. Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003. ix + 445 pp. $37.00 (paper). ISBN: 1‐4020‐1205‐5. John P. Jackson Jr. (Ed.). Science, Race, and Ethnicity: Readings from Isis and Osiris. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2002. 452 pp. $50.00 (cloth). ISBN 0‐226‐38934‐0. $27.00 (paper). ISBN 0‐226‐38935‐9.     

A comparison of two online cognitive‐behavioural interventions for symptoms of depression in a student population: The role of therapist responsiveness

Objectives: The study aimed to compare the efficacy of eight weekly sessions of a self‐administered online CBT treatment (cCBT; n=51) to a therapist‐assisted email CBT treatment (eCBT; n=50) in University students. Design: The design was a randomised parallel group trial. The study randomised participants with symptoms of depression to one of two available treatments. Method: Participants were offered eight weekly sessions of either cCBT or eCBT. Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory‐II (BDI‐II) and the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE‐OM) at pre‐and post‐treatment, at weeks 16 and 32 follow‐up. The Working Alliance Inventory‐Short Form (WAI‐SR) was completed at weeks 2, 4, and 6. Results: For both groups, pre‐post within group effect sizes reported were large for the BDI‐II and the CORE‐OM and these were maintained at follow‐up. Perceptions of working alliance were similar in each group, but Bond was significantly stronger for the eCBT condition. WAI scores correlated more positively with the outcome on BDI‐II for those in the eCBT condition than the cCBT condition, but not significantly. Conclusion: There were no significant differences between the two online treatments, both reduced depressive symptoms and improved general functioning. Similarly, at post‐treatment and follow‐up, clinical improvement and recovery was demonstrated for both groups equally. The study demonstrates the possibility for cCBT in a university setting that may contribute to addressing the shortcomings in meeting increasing demands that mental health services presently face.     

Accentuating the positive: The gendered identities of male problem‐drinkers,and the questions these pose for the counselling profession

Background: Few published studies have addressed the male experience of alcohol dependency. Aim: This paper seeks to address this deficiency and to highlight aspects of the male experience relevant to the counselling and psychotherapy profession. Methods: Six men in recovery from alcohol dependency participated in semi‐structured interviews. Findings: A grounded theory analysis elicited five core categories, Beginning to Drink, Paying for Gain with Pain, Reaching Rock Bottom, Struggling to Recover and Leading a New Life. Despite the pain they had experienced, participants' narratives were matter‐of‐fact and goal‐oriented. Low self‐esteem was expressed indirectly. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with socialisation models of alcoholism. Counsellors, and the wider profession, must be alert for the male under‐reporting of emotional distress.     

Working with suicidal clients: The person‐centred counsellor's experience and understanding of risk assessment

Background: Client risk assessment within the person‐centred paradigm is traditionally seen as squarely opposed to its ethos. Aim: To determine how the person‐centred counsellor experiences and understands the issue of risk assessment within the confines of their work ethos. Method: Semi‐structured interviews with seven person‐centred counsellors using thematic analysis were conducted. Findings: Three main themes emerged following thematic analysis: The impact of the risk assessment process on self; The counsellor's experience of self, and The therapeutic process in relation to risk assessment. Discussion: The findings suggest that person‐centred counsellors conduct risk assessments taking a holistic approach involving not only individual risk predictors and characteristics of the client but also individual factors related to self.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: Christian Smith, Christian America? What Evangelicals really want Nancy Eiesland, A Particular Place: Urban Restructuring and Religious Ecology in a Southern Suburb Janet Duitsman Cornelius, Slave Missions and The Black Church in the Antebellum South Linda Boynton Arthur, (ed) Religion, Dress and The Body William M. Newman and Peter L. Halvorson, Atlas of American Religion: The De‐nominational Era Michael P. Carroll, Irish Pilgrimage: Holy Wells and Pop‐ular Catholic Devotion Paul Eli Ivey, Prayers in Stone: Christian Science Architecture in The United States, 1894‐1930 Andrew Greeley, The Catholic Imagination R. Scott Appleby, The Ambivalence Of The Sacred: Re‐Ligion, Violence, And Reconciliation Ana María Díaz‐Stevens and Anthony M. Stevens‐Arroyo, Recognizing The Latino Resurgence In U.S. Religion Wendy Griffin, (ed) Daughters Of The Goddess: Studies Of Healing, Identity, And Empowerment Carole Bell Ford, The Girls: Jewish Women Of Brownsville, Brooklyn, 1940‐1995 Thomas A. Idinopulos and Brian C. Wilson, (eds) What Is Religion? Origins, Definitions, And Explanations Toby E. Huff and Wolfgang Schluchter, (eds) Max Weber And Islam Wade Clark Roof, Spiritual Marketplace: Baby Boomers And The Remaking Of American Religion James A. Wellman, The Gold Coast Church And The Ghetto: Christ And Culture In Main‐Line Protestantism Mark Juergensmeyer, Terror In The Mind Of God     

Person‐Centred and Experiential Psychotherapy Scale: Development and reliability of an adherence/competence measure for person‐centred and experiential psychotherapies

Aims: This study aimed to assess the reliability of the Person‐Centred and Experiential Psychotherapy Scale (PCEPS), a new adherence/competence measure of person‐centred and experiential psychotherapies. The PCEPS consists of 15 items with two subscales: Person-Centred Process and Experiential Process. Method: One‐hundred twenty audio‐recorded segments of therapy sessions were rated independently by two teams of three raters using the PCEPS. Half of the segments were 10 minutes long and the other half were 15 minutes long. Six therapists were experienced therapists and four were counsellors in training. Seven of the therapists identified their work as ‘person‐centred’, and three identified their work as ‘process‐experiential’. Three raters were qualified and experienced person‐centred therapists and three raters were person‐centred counselling trainees in their first year of training. Results: Interrater reliabilities were good (alpha: .68–.86), especially when ratings were averaged across items (alpha: .87); interitem reliabilities were quite high (alpha: .98). Exploratory factor analyses revealed a 12‐item facilitative relationship factor that cuts across Person‐Centred and Experiential subscales (alpha: .98), and a nonfacilitative directiveness factor (3 items, alpha: .89). Conclusions/Implications: The PCEPS has potential for use in RCT research as well as in counselling training and supervision, but will require further testing and validation.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article: Ronald Rolheiser, Seeking Spirituality: Guidelines for a Christian Spirituality for the Twenty‐First Century Constance L. Benson, God and Caesar: Troeltsch's Social Teaching as Legitimation Karl‐Josef Kuschel, The Poet as Mirror: Human Nature, God and Jesus in Twentieth‐Century Literature     

Recording supervision: Educational,therapeutic, and enhances the supervisory working alliance?

Aims: To explore the impact of listening to an audio‐recording of their latest supervision session on supervisees. Method: Participants recorded a supervision session, listened to it and were interviewed about this experience of listening to it within seven days of listening to the recording. The phenomenological interviews informed by the researcher's knowledge were analysed using grounded theory. Participants: Fifteen participants with 0–20 years’ experience, representing person‐centred, CBT, psychodynamic and integrative approaches, and qualifications ranging from student to doctorate formed the theoretical sample. Findings: Listening to the audio‐recording allowed participants to re‐experience their thoughts and emotions. Participants recalled and re‐experienced events which had been forgotten, unnoticed or (arguably) repressed. This re‐experiencing was usually less emotive than in real‐time; but suppressed emotions could be more intense. As participants integrated both these noticed and unnoticed events, they were able to accept what had been unacceptable, gaining self‐awareness, which was potentially therapeutic. Noticing what had been unnoticed permitted insights into many aspects of therapy and supervision, which was more than just ‘reflection‐on‐action’. Conclusion: Listening to an audio‐recording of the latest supervision may be educational for any supervisee; it may be therapeutic by facilitating challenge of maladaptive beliefs and behaviours; and it also seems to strengthen the supervisory working alliance.     

Self‐help strategies to reduce emotional distress: What do people do and why? A qualitative study

Background: Some people with psychological distress do not seek professional help but opt instead for self‐help strategies to reduce their symptoms. Little is known about these strategies. Aim: To investigate which self‐help approaches might be employed to reduce the effects of emotional distress, and the reasons for these choices. Method: Semi‐structured interviews with 11 clerical employees generated data analysed using grounded theory. Findings: Managing distress is a complex and multi‐dimensional process unique to each individual. The use of self‐help options is determined by the interconnection between the person's core beliefs, their social networks, and ideas about coping. Such beliefs may hinder help‐seeking. People tend to engage in activities that are familiar to them already, rather than attempt new ones. The purpose of self‐help strategies is to distract the person from their problems and to contribute to physical and mental well‐being. Implications for practice are discussed.     

Counselling in the workplace: How time‐limited counselling can effect change in well‐being

Background: Many employers provide counselling support on work and personal issues for their employees, but in times of economic pressure such services can be at risk if their effectiveness is not demonstrated. Aim: To evaluate whether time‐limited counselling in a workplace can effect sustained change in well‐being. Method: The study was carried out by a staff counselling team in a university setting. The Warwick‐Edinburgh Mental Well‐being Scale (WEMWBS) was completed by clients at the beginning and end of counselling, and at three and six months following. A non‐treatment comparison group completed the survey at the same intervals. Results: The results of our investigation show clearly that the effect of time‐limited counselling (average seven sessions) on distressed clients is positive. The evidence of our treatment group suggests that they acquire an increased sense of well‐being as a result of the experience of counselling with a significant statistical difference between pre‐and post‐counselling treatment group scores on the WEMWBS and consistently higher scores found post counselling. The improvement was maintained at the same level for at least six months following the end of counselling. Conclusions: The provision of time‐limited counselling by employers is an effective support for personal difficulties affecting work.     

Practice‐based evidence in school‐based counselling

Aims: Counsellors are becoming commonplace within the support structures of secondary schools. To date, research findings from practice‐based outcome studies suggest this is a positive move. There are, however, numerous limitations to this work, and this project aims to develop this existing body of literature. Method: Nine 13–15 year olds attending counselling in six school‐based services participated in the project – one individual withdrew. A standardised self‐report questionnaire (YP‐CORE) was collected at four intervals: (1) the point of referral; (2) the onset of counselling; (3) the completion of counselling; and, (4) a two‐month follow‐up. The change indicated in each of these phases is examined and reported here. Additionally, YP‐CORE was completed during each session. Findings: The YP‐CORE indicates an improvement in the well‐being of this small sample, while waiting for and attending therapy. Further examination of session‐by‐session data also highlights how pre‐ and post‐outcome data should not necessarily be viewed as linear in nature. Discussion: This is a small‐scale investigation and further work is needed in this area. It does, however, raise a number of issues regarding the complexity inherent in conducting outcome research that warrant further investigation.     

An investigation into the psychometric properties of the CORE‐OM in patients with eating disorders

Aim: The current study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the CORE‐OM (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure) when used in an eating disorder sample. Method: The CORE‐OM was administered at assessment to 360 individuals referred to an eating disorders service. Principal component analysis was conducted to look at the psychometric structure of the CORE‐OM, and psychometric properties were investigated using analyses of reliability and validity. Results: Analyses of the psychometric structure suggested a three‐component solution reflecting negatively worded, positively worded and risk items. The CORE‐OM showed good acceptability, acceptable internal and test‐retest reliabilities, as well as good convergent and known groups validity. Conclusions: The results of the current study support the CORE‐OM as a reliable and valid measure for assessing psychological distress in eating disorders.     

Exploring the processes involved in long‐term recovery from chronic alcohol addiction within an abstinence‐based model: Implications for practice

Background: There is little consensus at policy or treatment level as to what defines ‘recovery’ in the alcohol addiction field. Aim: From interviewing a cohort of eight severely alcohol‐dependent people who fulfilled all categories of DSM‐IV and ICD 10 diagnostic criteria and had achieved long‐term recovery (LTR) of between 8 and 48 years, and who are long‐term AA members, a definition of recovery that is inclusive, and achievable, was sought from their lived experiences. Methodology: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used. Findings: This research uncovers the processes involved in long‐term recovery, and identifies them as: sober; maintaining sobriety; and recovery. It suggests a move away from the acute model of cure by brief, time‐limited therapy, towards a model of sustained, on‐going and life‐long recovery management, combined with pro‐social aid resources. Individuals need to observe, and hear, the success narratives of others, and the therapeutic conditions of empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence need to be strongly experienced by the individual.