The Barnum effect in a computerized Rorschach interpretation system

Twelve psychiatric outpatients were administered the Rorschach test, and results were interpreted using the Exner (1983, 1986) Report for the Comprehensive System computer-based test interpretation (CBTI) program. Four psychiatrists made accuracy ratings for both real and bogus reports for each of their patients. Data were analyzed using two-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), where report type was a repeated main effect, psychiatrist was a random main effect, and the number of statements in the report was the covariate. Results indicated that this CBTI provided only 5% discriminating power for any one patient, with 60% of the interpretive statements merely describing typical characteristics of the outpatient population. No significant psychiatrist, interaction, or covariate effects were encountered.     

Mobbing at work and the development of post-traumatic stress disorders

Abstract

Psychosocial research on mobbing is currently being carried out in a number of countries, mainly in Europe. Mobbing is defined as an extreme social stressor at workplaces. In this article, its serious mental and psychosomatic health consequences are demonstrated and discussed. A factor analysis of symptom statistics collected through answers from a study representative of the entire Swedish workforce showed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as the plausible diagnosis. In addition, 64 patients subjected to mobbing at their work places are diagnosed with the co-operation of a rehabilitation clinic specializing in the treatment of chrome PTSD. The statistical analysis of these 64 diagnoses shows a severe degree of PTSD, with mental effects fully comparable with PTSD from war or prison camp experiences.     

A categorically postcategorical interpretation of the modality effect: a reply to Nilsson.

Watkins found the modality effect undiminished when four-syllable rather than one-syllable words were used, and concluded that the effect has a post-categorical origin. Nilsson replicated this result, and also found that with entirely unfamiliar words the effect was greater with one-syllable words than with four-syllable words. Nilsson considered his findings to be in support of a precategorical origin of the effect. This reply argues that, to the contrary, Nilsson's findings are not only consistent with a postcategorical interpretation, but also inconsistent with a precategorical interpretation.     

The Holtzman Inkblot Technique is not the Rorschach: a reply to Lockwood, Roll, and Mathews

A previous article by Lockwood, Roll, and Matthews (1981) reported dramatic differences between the Movement scores obtained by 6-year-old children on the Holtzman Inkblot Technique (HIT) and previously reported normative data for this variable. The Lockwood et al. data were rescored by experienced HIT scorers; their findings-and other possible reasons for the high HIT Movement scores reported by Lockwood et al.-are described and discussed. Finally, the practice of using the HIT in the manner of the Rorschach is criticized.     

Normative mid-life concerns among Vietnam veterans with post-traumatic stress disorders: Some preliminary empirical findings

Most Vietnam veterans are now in the mid-life years. Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may find that mid-life concerns both precipitate and exacerbate their PTSD symptomatology. Preliminary research with four groups of adult males supports this notion. A cross-sectional study with nonveteans, Vietnam era noncombatants, Vietnam combat veterans not in treatment, and Vietnam veterans in treatment for PTSD suggests that the mid-life issues of affiliation, identity, demonic guilt, and work may be the most problematic. Implications for treatment are discussed.     

Research digest: post-traumatic stress disorder

The onset of weaning is often described as an important early milestone, but it creates considerable emotional turbulence in the motherinfant relationship. The interruption of the breast-feeding relationship, whether gradual or sudden, creates a very special kind of agony for both the mother and baby, especially when a good trusting relationship with the breast has been found. This paper explores some of the hurts and sacrifices made on both sides during weaning, and looks at some of the subtle reactions to mutual feelings of rejection at this time. It also describes some of the difficulties that arise when the work of weaning is compromised by certain anxieties in the feeding relationship. Extracts from several psychoanalytical infant observations are used both to illustrate and to discuss these themes.     

Relationships between Rorschach variables as relevant to the interpretation of structural data

The protocols of 100 adult nonpatients who had been administered the Rorschach twice in a long term temporal consistency study were used in this study. Separate intercorrelational matrices were calculated for each testing with R partialed. Means of the pairs of partial correlations were calculated, the square root of which is considered the best available estimate of the correlation between each pair of variables. Fifteen of the 120 partial correlations are considered to be significant. The findings are discussed in terms of their potential relevance for configurational interpretation of structural data.     

From prematurity to parenting stress: The mediating role of perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder

Preterm delivery may lead to the emergence of symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD), which may, in turn, affect the quality of the mother-child relationship. The aim of this study is to shed light on the development of parenting stress in mothers of preterm and full-term children. It is hypothesized that PTSD symptoms mediate the relationship between preterm/full-term birth and the levels of parenting stress. Perinatal PTSD, parenting stress and social support were assessed in 156 mothers of full-term children and 87 mothers of preterm children. Mothers of preterm children experienced more post-traumatic stress and parenting stress than mothers of full-term children. However, the relationship between preterm delivery and subsequent levels of parenting stress was mediated by PTSD symptoms. These findings suggest that the maternal perception of childbirth as a traumatic experience and the subsequent development of PTSD symptoms are pivotal in the emergence of parenting stress.     

The interclinician reliability of Rorschach interpretation in four data sets

To examine agreement on Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 2004) interpretations, 55 patient protocols were interpreted by 3 to 8 clinicians across 4 data sets on a representative set of 29 characteristics. Substantial reliability was observed across data sets, although a problematic design produced lower results in one. Unexpectedly, a Q-sort task had slightly lower reliability than a simple rating task. As expected, scales that summarized judgments had higher agreement than judgments to individual interpretive statements, and some clinicians produced more generalizable inferences than others. Interpretations for all clinicians were more strongly associated with patients' psychometric true scores (aggregated judgment M range = .82 to .92) than with the judgments of other clinicians (range = .76 to .89). Compared to meta-analyses of interrater reliability in psychology and medicine, the findings indicate these clinicians could reliably interpret Rorschach CS data.     

Rorschach records of Nazi war criminals: a reanalysis using current scoring and interpretation practices

The Nuremberg trials focused worldwide attention on 22 Nazi war criminals. Rorschach Inkblot tests were administered to these Nazi leaders in an attempt to understand the Nazi personality. Past studies which have described and interpreted these Rorschach records have made at least two types of errors in their analyses. One is that of overinterpretation and excessive inference. A second common error has been the failure to detect meaningful distinctions between protocols that represent significant differences in personality style. This latter error is shown in repeated attempts to group all Nazi protocols into one distinct "Nazi personality." This investigation attempted to quantify the analysis of these Nazi Rorschach records, specifically those Nazi leaders who were sentenced to life imprisonment or execution for their war crimes against humanity, by utilizing Exner's (1985a) standardized Comprehensive Scoring System as well as computerized objective interpretation software based on the Exner system (1986). This modern analysis of the Rorschach records demonstrates that the Nazi war criminals cannot be grouped together into one specific mental disorder that would adequately characterize these diverse individuals. The varying degrees of psychopathology of the Nazi leaders are illustrated by analyses of individual Rorschach protocols.     

Cognitive abnormalities in post-traumatic stress disorder

Characteristically arising in response to overwhelmingly terrifying events, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder of memory: sufferers seemingly relive their trauma in the form of involuntary recollection. Prominent cognitive abnormalities, especially in memory functioning, have motivated research designed to elucidate the mediating mechanisms that produce PTSD symptoms, especially those involving involuntary recollection. Recent developments suggest a pathophysiological model of PTSD which includes hyporesponsive prefrontal cortical regions and/or a hyper-responsive amygdala. Other work has also identified above-average cognitive ability as a protective factor and below-average hippocampal volume as a vulnerability factor for PTSD among the trauma-exposed. These attempts to elucidate the mediating mechanisms of PTSD have been both cognitive and, more recently, cognitive-neuroscientific in emphasis.