Clinical applications of Rorschach-based visual imagery reactivity

A diverse set of findings from recent research suggests the value of visual imagery techniques in clinical practice.     

APPLICANT AGE AND SELECTION INTERVIEW DECISIONS: EFFECT OF INFORMATION EXPOSURE ON AGE DISCRIMINATION IN PERSONNEL SELECTION

Two research questions pertaining to the applicant age bias effect were addressed in this study: the effect of age-related information exposure on selection decisions and the issue of between-sample generalizability with reference to the age bias effect. Manager and student selectors made selection decisions after viewing one videotape of a simulated selection interview of either an old or a young job applicant. Before viewing the interview tape, half of each subject group was given an item of age-related information and the other half was given neutral information. The results showed that, under the neutral information condition, managers preferred hiring the young applicant for the low-status job, and students favored the old candidate for the high-status position. Under the age-related information condition, managers shifted to favoring the old candidate for the low-status job, and students preferred the young applicant for both the low- and high-status positions. Age discrimination in selection decisions and the lack of external validity of student results in selection research are then discussed.     

The effect of early childhood experiences on neurotic disorders in the adult

"Empiricists" and "clinicians", in especial those in the field of psychoanalysis, have reached divergent views on the significance of early childhood experiences for neurotic affections in the adult. The present paper discusses the need to resolve such "apparent" differences. To be effective, models of psychological development should, besides taking into account biological hereditary influences and the psychosocial conditions of childhood, also consider the ongoing perpetualisation of neurotic behavior through social feedback.     

Secondary enuresis in institutionalized conduct-disordered children

The incidence of secondary enuresis in 16 institutionalized conduct-disordered children was examined. In contrast to a control group of 16 noninstitutionalized conduct-disordered children, the former showed significantly more enuretic behaviour. Also, enuresis began within 6 mo. of the children's separation from their families, suggesting this problem is very likely related to the emotional trauma surrounding the change in living conditions. However, the small number of subjects limits further interpretation of the findings.     

Helping the child with cancer: what school personnel want to know

As more children with cancer survive, the importance of facilitating school reintegration as a part of maximizing the quality of life has become evident. Workshops have been presented to school personnel to acquaint them with the issues facing cancer patients and their families, but there are gaps in our knowledge of what school personnel really need or want to know. In this study, 18 teachers of children with cancer and 15 teachers with no prior contact with students with cancer completed a questionnaire designed to assess needs, beliefs, and priorities with regard to working with cancer patients in the classroom. Significant findings included: (a) a consensus that a certain core of information about medical/psychological issues would be useful, and presentation of such information by psychologists and medical personnel working with such families would be optimal; (b) teachers having cancer patients as students were less likely to see the adaptation of siblings as an important issue; (c) teachers associated working with a student with cancer with less stress and demands on their time than predictable from previous studies; and (d) cancer patients as a whole were rated as having fewer behavioral, emotional, and learning problems than randomly selected students without a major illness, suggesting a "halo effect" or contradiction of some literature. Preliminary findings are detailed and implications are discussed for those attempting to help teachers facilitate students' adjustment to school following diagnosis and treatment of cancer.     

Decision time and movement time in depression: differential effects of practice before and after clinical improvement

Choice reaction time involves, at least two components of response latency, decision time and movement time. Studies of choice reaction time usually provide values of these two components averaged over a given number of trials. The aim of the present study of depressed subjects was to investigate changes across practice on Decision Time (DT) and Movement Time (MT) before and after clinical improvement. 19 depressed subjects were given two sessions of 50 trials each, one before treatment (Di) and one after recovery (Df). Decision time and movement time exhibited quite different patterns. Decision time significantly decreased with clinical improvement. No significant variation across trials was found, in either session. Movement time values varied across trials but the variations observed on Di and Df were significantly different, whereas before treatment latencies recorded at the end of the session were greater than those scored at the start, the contrary was observed after clinical recovery. No significant difference was found between values of movement time scored at the start of the two sessions.     

Objective and simulated stimulation: an empirical study of the effect of indirect suggestion on motor behavior

In an experimental investigation it is demonstrated that motor behavior-in contrast to the opinion forwarded in the literature-is not only elicitable by means of direct persuasion, but also to a great extend by mere indirect suggestion, (feigning of stimuli). A differential investigation of these effects provided evidence that reactions to feigned stimuli are highly person specific and relatively homogenous concerning the respective instruments whereas objective stimuli lead to reactions relatively specific for the respective instrument applied. The findings are interpreted as an analog on to placebo-effects in the area of motor behavior. Their extend may be seen as an argument for a stronger concern with subjective reaction tendencies in this field.     

Depressive characteristics of physically abused children

Physically abused and nonabused children were compared on child-completed measures of depression, hopelessness, self-esteem, and locus of control. Results indicated that, in comparison with nonabused controls, abused children evidenced more depressive symptoms, heightened externality, lower self-esteem, and greater hopelessness about the future. Group differences in depressive symptomatology were not accounted for on the basis of differences in age, sex, race, gender, IQ, or socioeconomic status. Results replicate the results of Kazdin, Moser, Colbus, and Bell (1985) derived from a sample of physically abused psychiatric inpatients and extend the generality of these findings to abused children of nonpatient status. Implications of the findings for clinical interventions, theoretical models of child depression, and future research are discussed.The authors wish to thank Alvin Hadley and the staff of Franklin County Children Services.Appreciation is also extended to Dr. Charles Wenar.