Patient distortion in reporting outcome: A procedure for correcting patient outcome scores

Outcome scores that are provided by patient report are routinely used in therapy outcome studies. Despite their popularity they are usually viewed with suspicion since they are assumed to reflect a considerable amount of distortion. Two procedures for estimating patient distortion and for creating corresponding correction factors for outcome scores are presented. When either procedure was used to correct the outcome scores of 34 outpatients from six therapy groups in a process-outcome study, a number of significant correlations emerged where none had existed previously when uncorrected scores had been used. When a third correction procedure based on social desirability was used, significant correlations did not emerge. The findings have implications for correcting patient distortion in both individual and group therapy outcome studies.     

Communication Styles and Marital Satisfaction in Israeli and American Couples

This study examined the conflict-related communication styles of American and Israeli couples and how these communication styles related to marital satisfaction in the two groups. An Israeli sample was recruited from Israeli couples currently living in New York City; the American sample was selected from the friendship circles of the Israeli couples. In spite of the close social ties of the two groups, we predicted that the conflict-related communication styles of the Israelis would be less calm and rational than those of the Americans and that such rational modes of communication would be positively associated with marital satisfaction for the Americans but not for the Israelis. The principle instruments were Straus' Conflict Tactics Scale, Ryder's Imagined Situation Inventory, and Spanier's Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Results largely confirmed the hypotheses. Israeli couples were more apt to be verbally aggressive (but less physically violent) and less apt to behave calmly during marital conflict, but these communication styles did not relate to marital satisfaction as strongly for the Israelis as for the Americans. These findings are discussed as a demonstration of the importance of considering cultural context when treating families.     

The possible connection between “private speech” and prayer

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the psychological origins of prayer through a preliminary examination of certain aspects of social and cognitive development in early childhood. Specifically, it is the thesis of this essay that the phenomenon of “private speech” in early childhood can tell us something about prayer activity as it occurs in older persons. It is not the intention of this essay to present a detailed or complete theology of prayer from the perspective of pastoral theology or pastoral care. This essay is a prolegomena to the future study of the origins of prayer as social communication and personal regulation.     

The new birth phenomenon during imprisonment: Corrective emotional experience or flight into health?

In prisons the “born-again” experience is frequently encountered in the inmate population. The goal of this article is to examine the social and psychological parameters of this phenomenon, as well as those issues which indicate an enduring or transitory response.