Intraclass correlation associated with therapists: estimates and applications in planning psychotherapy research

It is essential that outcome research permit clear conclusions to be drawn about the efficacy of interventions. The common practice of nesting therapists within conditions can pose important methodological challenges that affect interpretation, particularly if the study is not powered to account for the nested design. An obstacle to the optimal design of these studies is the lack of data about the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), which measures the statistical dependencies introduced by nesting. To begin the development of a public database of ICC estimates, the authors investigated ICCs for a variety outcomes reported in 20 psychotherapy outcome studies. The magnitude of the 495 ICC estimates varied widely across measures and studies. The authors provide recommendations regarding how to select and aggregate ICC estimates for power calculations and show how researchers can use ICC estimates to choose the number of patients and therapists that will optimize power. Attention to these recommendations will strengthen the validity of inferences drawn from psychotherapy studies that nest therapists within conditions.     

An investigation of the social identity model of collective action and the 'sedative' effect of intergroup contact among Black and White students in South Africa

Two studies investigated the role of intergroup contact in predicting collective action tendencies along with three key predictors proposed by the social identity model of collective action (SIMCA; Van Zomeren, Postmes, & Spears, 2008). Study 1 (N= 488 Black South African students) tested whether social identity would positively, whereas intergroup contact would negatively predict collective action and support for policies benefiting the ingroup. Study 2 (N= 244 White South African students) predicted whether social identity would positively predict collective action benefiting the ingroup, and intergroup contact would positively predict support for policies to benefit the Black outgroup. Both studies yielded evidence in support of the predictive power of social identity and contact on collective action and policy support. Additionally, Study 1 confirmed that intergroup contact moderated the effects of social identity on relative deprivation, and relative deprivation on collective action. Overall findings support an integration of SIMCA and intergroup contact theory, and provide a fuller understanding of the social psychological processes leading to collective action.     

The self-image in borderline personality disorder: an in-depth qualitative research study

Patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) suffer from affective instability, impulsivity, and identity disturbance which particularly manifest in an unstable or insecure self-image. One main problem for studies of core psychopathology in BPD is the complex subject of identity disturbance and self-image. The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-image of BPD patients with a qualitative research approach. Twelve patients with BPD were compared to 12 patients with remitted major depressive disorder (MDD) without personality disorder, using the Structured Interview of Personality Organization (STIPO). The transcribed interviews were analyzed using a combination of content analysis and grounded theory. BPD patients described themselves predominantly as helpful and sensitive; reported typical emotions were sadness, anger, and anxiety. MDD patients on the other hand reported numerous and various characteristics and emotions, including happiness, as well as sadness and anxiety. Other persons were characterized by the BPD group as egoistic and satisfied, while the MDD group described others as being balanced and secretive. BPD patients displayed an altruistic, superficial, and suffering self-image. Aggressive tendencies were only seen in other persons. Our findings support the concept of a self and relationship disturbance in BPD which is highly relevant for psychotherapy treatment.     

Ability differentials between nations are unlikely to disappear

Comments on the original article, "Intelligence: New findings and theoretical developments," by R. E. Nisbett, J. Aronson, C. Blair, W. Dickens, J. Flynn, D. F. Halpern, and E. Turkheimer (see record 2011-30298-001). This comment challenges Nisbett et al's argument that Flynn effect gains will eliminate cross-national IQ inequalities "by the end of the 21st century and falsify the hypothesis that some nations lack the intelligence to fully industrialize" (p. 140). The present authors find that this optimism is not justified by the evidence. In Europe and the United States, Flynn effects are indeed rare in cohorts born after about 1980. Furthermore, it is necessary to distinguish between accelerated childhood development and higher adult intelligence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).     

We Are the World—and They Are Not: Prototypicality for the World Community,Legitimacy, and Responses to Global Inequality

The relation between developed and developing countries is characterized by inequalities that sometimes hinder actions against worldwide problems. The current research presents an intergroup approach, based on the ingroup projection model, towards an analysis of psychological processes that perpetuate global inequality on a social group level. Precisely, we argue that people from developed countries perceive their group as more prototypical for the world population than they perceive people from developing countries. These perceptions of ingroup prototypicality should in turn relate to legitimacy beliefs and predict unfavorable behavioral intentions towards developing countries. We present two studies that corroborate our hypotheses: In Study 1, participants from a developed country perceived their ingroup as more prototypical for the superordinate group (i.e., world population) than the outgroup (i.e., developing countries), which in turn was related to beliefs that global inequality is legitimate. This finding was replicated in Study 2, and the predicted effect of ingroup prototypicality on behavioral intentions was mediated by legitimacy beliefs. These findings demonstrate that intergroup processes can contribute to perpetuating global inequality.     

Abh?ngigkeitserkrankungen und Pers?nlichkeitsst?rungen

Substance use disorders and personality disorders often co-occur in clinical treatment. In this review the association between substance use disorders and personality disorders is described and discussed. Clinical and neurobiological data as well as psychodynamic concepts are included to focus on the therapeutic implications for patients with these comorbidities. The consumption of substances often begins as a kind of self-medication. Patients suffering from severe personality disorders need these substance effects to avoid severe destructive affects and to regulate their self-esteem. Patients with chronic substance dependence often show changes in brain structure. In the dependency stage of addiction clinical symptoms can make the diagnosis of a specific personality disorder very difficult. The treatments can be classified by the severity of substance use disorders and personality disorders. Substance misuse can be treated with psychotherapy. In substance dependence, specific forms of addiction therapy should be included. In patients with the frequent comorbidity of substance use disorders and severe personality disorders, disorder-specific treatment can be used with good results.     

Effects of monetary incentives on task switching

In two experiments, effects of incentives on task switching were investigated. Incentives were provided as a monetary bonus. In both experiments, the availability of a bonus varied on a trial-to-trial basis. The main difference between the experiments relates to the association of incentives to individual tasks. In Experiment 1, the association of incentives to individual tasks was fixed. Under these conditions, the effect of incentives was largely due to reward expectancy. Switch costs were reduced to statistical insignificance. This was true even with the task that was not associated with a bonus. In Experiment 2, there was a variable association of incentives to individual tasks. Under these conditions, the reward expectancy effect was bound to conditions with a well-established bonus-task association. In conditions in which the bonus-task association was not established in advance, enhanced performance of the bonus task was accompanied by performance decrements with the task that was not associated with a bonus. Reward expectancy affected mainly the general level of performance. The outcome of this study may also inform recently suggested neurobiological accounts about the temporal dynamics of reward processing.     

Wirksamkeit bioenergetischer Psychotherapien bei Patienten mit bekannter ICD-10-Diagnose

In this study the efficacy of Bioenergetic Analysis and Therapy (BAT) was evaluated retrospectively by means of two questionnaires. Former patients from private practice with a known ICD-10 F group diagnosis participated in the study. The SCL-90-R was modified to allow assessment of the symptoms at the beginning as well as at the end of therapy. The second questionnaire was self-constructed and contained questions about the quality of the therapeutic work, body work in general, the relationship with the therapist, and the way the therapist worked. Both questionnaires were to be answered anonymously. Eight psychotherapists (medical doctors and psychologists) served as contacts to 103 former patients; 48 patients (46.6%) returned the questionnaires. Ten patients belonged to the F3 group, 26 to the F4, and 12 to the F6 groups. All data could therefore be interpreted for each of the F groups as well as for the sum of all patients. Bioenergetic analysis and therapy reduced the symptoms according to the SCL-90-R considerably in all three F groups. Analysis of the individual symptom scales on the SCL-90-R showed high to very high symptom reduction. These were not related to the F group diagnoses. Insight gained as a result of body work produced an even greater symptom reduction independent of the ICD-10 F group diagnosis. Patients receiving BAT rated their therapy favourably and judged the relationship with the therapist as very good. The efficacy of and the satisfaction with the therapy was rated high. The formulation of a therapeutic goal at the beginning of the therapy was possibly a prerequisite for a positive outcome of the therapy. The present study confirms and complements previous efficacy studies of BAT.     

Paradoxical consequences of Balzer''s and G?hde''s criteria of theoreticity. Results of an application to ten scientific theories

It is shown that the criteria of T-theoreticity proposed by Balzer and Gähde lead to strongly counterintuitive and in this sense paradoxical results: most of the obviously empirical or at least nontheoretical terms come out as theoretical. This is demonstrated for a lot of theories in different areas. On the way, some improved and some new structuralist theory-reconstructions are given. The conclusion is drawn that the T-theoreticity of a term cannot possibly be proved on the basis of the mathematical structure of theory T alone (as Gähde and Balzer suggest). Rather, an independent notion of pre-T-theoreticity and-more importantly-of empiricity is needed; i.e., not empirical and not pre-T-theoretical are independent, necessary but not sufficient conditions for T-theoretical (this is also a necessary complement of Sneed's original criterion). Finally it is asked whether the structuralist criterion of T-theoreticity complemented by such independent conditions would be a satisfactory answer to Putnam's challenge, and the answer again is negative: the criterion is not able to distinguish between empirically contentful and completely contentless (superfluous) theoretical terms.