Side-effects of lithium therapy]

Side-effects and complications of lithium therapy were examined by evaluation of data registered from 73 patients. Transitory subjective complaints would often occur during the initial phase of therapy, but they do not require any additional therapy. Occasional development of struma and sometimes high increase of body weight require regular controls of these values. Disposing factors concerning the possible occurrence of epileptic seizures and extra-pyramidal disorders under lithium therapy are Melipramin as well as organic cerebral lesions.     

Course and form variations of cyclothymic phases in lithium therapy

The authors have attempted by means of a statistical survey to quantify changes in the course and, in particular the phase-related and non-phase-related form of cyclothymic phases during long-term lithium treatment.     

Research applications of Shapiro's personal questionnaire in marital therapy

Clinical research raises many problems and is often neglected in clinical settings. In this paper, the contribution of Shapiro's personal questionnaire in marital therapy research is described in the context of these contrasting research designs.     

New developments in electroconvulsive therapy and magnetic seizure therapy

New findings regarding the mechanisms of action of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) have led to novel developments in treatment technique to further improve this highly effective treatment for major depression. These new approaches include novel placements, optimization of electrical stimulus parameters, and new methods for inducing more targeted seizures(eg, magnetic seizure therapy [MST]). MST is the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce a seizure. Magnetic fields pass through tissue unimpeded, providing more control over the site and extent of stimulation than can be achieved with ECT. This enhanced control represents a means of focusing the treatment on target cortical structures thought to be essential to antidepressant response and reducing spread to medial temporal regions implicated in the cognitive side effects of ECT. MST is at an early stage of development. Preliminary results suggest that MST may have some advantages over ECT in terms of subjective side effects and acute cognitive functioning. Studies designed to address the antidepressant efficacy of MST are underway. As with all attempts to improve convulsive therapy technique, the clinical value of MST will need to be established through controlled clinical trials. This article reviews the experience to date with MST, and places this work in the broader context of other means of optimizing convulsive therapy in the treatment of depression.     

Three applications of functional analysis with group dynamic cognitive behavioral group therapy

Case illustrations from group dynamic cognitive behavioral group therapy are presented to demonstrate three applications of functional analysis and the resulting cognitive behavioral interventions. The principles of group dynamic cognitive behavioral group therapy are explained. A functional analysis is applied first to the problem behavior of an individual group member. A clinical case illustrates how the group members help to change this individual group member's behavior from a learning theory perspective. Next, the circular interactional problem behavior between two group members is reduced to the individual functional analysis of each of the two member's problem behaviors. It is then illustrated how the two group member's problem behaviors, as well as feedback from others, contribute toward helping to change each others behavior. The paper concludes that functional analysis and ensuing behavioral interventions can be also applied to group as a whole behavior.     

New problems and results in behavior therapy

What is presently observed is not only a rapid increase in the number of publications, but also a major change in the theoretical principles of behavior therapy. The former onesidedness of a form of behavior therapy theoretically substantiated by classical conditioning only may be regarded as having been completely overcome. For example, this is evident from new approaches to behavior diagnosis as an essential prerequisite of differentiated therapy planning. Recent concepts of the theoretical substantiation of the effectiveness of behavior therapy lead to an increasing consideration of both cognitive and motivational aspects and also take into account the complexity of the patient's social relations. This, in turn, results in the availability of a wide range of indication-specific methods of behavior therapy.     

Towards case-specific applications of mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioural therapies: A mindfulness-based rational emotive behaviour therapy

Teasdale, Segal and Williams (2003 Teasdale, JD, Segal, ZV and Williams, JMG. 2003. Mindfulness training and problem formulation. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10: 157–160. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]) present the combination of mindfulness and cognitive-behavioural therapy as “one of the most exciting and potentially productive avenues for future exploration.” (p. 160). In the same paper they also recommend moving beyond the current general-purpose, non-case-specific applications of mindfulness (p. 157). By integrating mindfulness interventions more closely with cognitive behavioural theories, clinicians should be in a better position to administer tailor-made mindfulness-based interventions in response to specific case formulations. This paper examines important similarities and differences between mindfulness and Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), in view of integrating the two practices closely within a one-on-one counselling environment. The latter half of the paper then presents recommendations of how such integration might be achieved in practice. This is illustrated with examples of three new interventions that combine mindfulness with three specific types of cognitive dysfunction as per REBT.