Time‐limited therapy in a Community Mental Health Team setting

This study examines time‐limited therapy in a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) setting. This work is a key tension for CMHTs who are under pressure to focus on clients with a serious mental illness as a priority as opposed to clients who might be deemed the ‘psychologically distressed’. The development of CMHTs in the UK is described. Limited research on time‐limited therapy in a CMHT setting is identified. Results suggest that time‐limited therapy has a positive impact on the mental health needs of clients referred to a CMHT by GPs. It is concluded that it is appropriate to justify the use of time‐limited therapy in a CMHT‐based setting. Suggestions for further research are made.     

Black Adolescent Girls: Do Gender Role and Racial Identity: Impact Their Self-Esteem?

This study was designed to explore Black adolescent girls' gender roles, racial identity, and self-esteem. These variables have not been examined together in a study of Black girls, yet studies of girls from other racial/cultural groups have demonstrated significant relationships. This type of exploration is important because Black girls do not experience the same declines in self-esteem as girls from other racial/cultural groups. Gender role orientation and racial identity have been put forth as possible explanations for Black girls' bolstered levels of self-esteem. Results indicated that Black girls with androgynous and masculine characteristics reported high levels of self-esteem. The results also indicated that Black girls with internally defined Black racial identity attitudes reported high levels of domain-specific self-esteem. In addition, androgyny was associated with high scores on internalization (Black racial identity).     

The double‐edged sword of diversity: Toward a dual pathway model

Williams and O'Reilly (1998) published a seminal review of diversity research that has become a classic resource for researchers and practitioners alike. In the current review, we update the theoretical record by discussing traditional views of, as well as recent developments to, the 3 prominent frameworks used to understand diversity: social categorization, similarity‐attraction, and information and decision‐making. Furthermore, we propose a dual pathway model of diversity's effects that integrates all 3 frameworks. In our model, both positive and detrimental effects of diversity stem from processes of social categorization. Whereas these processes disrupt group functioning when intergroup bias is activated, when bias is not activated, we propose that social categorization and reduced attraction to dissimilar others will allow individuals in diverse rather than homogeneous groups to focus more on the task, anticipate differences in task‐relevant opinions and perspectives, and engage in more effortful information processing. Finding the balance is key.     

A comparison of repeated exposure to fearful and disgusting stimuli among spider phobics

This study examined the role of fear and disgust in repeated exposure among spider phobics. Thirty spider phobics were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups. Both groups completed measures of fear and disgust and performed two initial standardized Behavioral Avoidance Tests (BATs; one with a fear stimulus – live tarantula, and one with a disgust stimulus – dead rat). One group was then repeatedly exposed to the tarantula and the other to the dead rat. Results of the study indicated that exposure to either the disgust stimulus or the live tarantula was associated with significant decreases in fear, avoidance, and disgust. However, it was found that repeated exposure to the fear stimulus produced a greater decrease in avoidance behavior. Results suggest that both types of exposure can be effective in alleviating associated symptoms and provide additional evidence that disgust sensitivity plays a role in the treatment of spider phobia. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transitive inference in adults with autism spectrum disorders

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) exhibit intact rote learning with impaired generalization. A transitive inference paradigm, involving training on four sequentially presented stimulus pairs containing overlapping items, with subsequent testing on two novel pairs, was used to investigate this pattern of learning in 27 young adults with ASDs and 31 matched neurotypical individuals (TYPs). On the basis of findings about memory and neuropathology, we hypothesized that individuals with ASDs would use a relational flexibility/conjunctive strategy reliant on an intact hippocampus, versus an associative strength/value transfer strategy requiring intact interactions between the prefrontal cortex and the striatum. Hypotheses were largely confirmed. ASDs demonstrated reduced interference from intervening pairs in early training; only TYPs formed a serial position curve by test; and ASDs exhibited impairments on the novel test pair consisting of end items with intact performance on the inner test pair. However, comparable serial position curves formed for both groups by the end of the first block.     

The first-perspective alignment effect: the role of environmental complexity and familiarity with surroundings

People often remember relatively novel environments from the first perspective encountered or the first direction of travel. This initial perspective can determine a preferred orientation that facilitates the efficiency of spatial judgements at multiple recalled locations. The present study examined this "first-perspective alignment effect" (FPA effect). In three experiments, university students explored three-path routes through computer-simulated spaces presented on a desktop computer screen. Spatial memory was then tested employing a "judgement of relative direction" task. Contrary to the predictions of a previous account, Experiment 1 found a reliable FPA effect in barren and complex environments. Experiment 2 strongly implicated the importance of complete novelty of the space surrounding the route in producing the effect. Experiment 3 found that, while familiarity with the surrounding space greatly attenuated the FPA effect with immediate testing, the effect reemerged following a 7-day delay to testing. The implications for the encoding and retrieval of spatial reference frames are discussed.     

Some groundwork for a multidimensional axiology

By distinguishing between contributory values and overall value, and by arguing that contributory values are variable values insofar as they contribute diminishing marginal overall value, this article helps to establish the superiority of a certain kind of maximizing, value-pluralist axiology over both sufficientarianism and prioritarianism, as well as over all varieties of value-monism, including utilitarianism and pure egalitarianism.     

Application of stochastic modeling to the assessment of group and individual differences in cognitive functioning

This article begins with a guiding schema of relations among cognitive science, clinical science, and assessment technology. Emphasis is placed on stochastic modeling of cognitive processes. Basic models are adjusted so as to parsimoniously accommodate performance deviations occurring with psychopathology. Modified portions of models indicate functions affected by disorder, whereas portions remaining intact indicate spared functions. Findings from clinical cognitive science are applied to the individual case using Bayesian procedures. Methods are instantiated with respect to cognitive psychopathology of paranoid schizophrenia. The authors address observations and issues arising from this application, including integration of these methods with current assessment practices.