Effects of counsellor interpretations and client reactance on social influence and the working alliance

These two studies investigated the main and interaction effects of client reactance and counsellor interpretation discrepancy and style on counsellor social influence and the working alliance. Undergraduate students who were divided into high and low reactant pups listened to low, moderate, or high discrepancy interpretations given by counsellors who used a tentative or absolute interpretation. Contrary to the hypotheses, results showed only one interaction effect for reactance, interpretation discrepancy, and interpretation style. Low reactant participants rated the working alliance higher with tentative interpretations while high reactant participants rated it higher with absolute. High reactant participants consistently tended to perceive the counsellor less positively than low reactant participants. There were unexpected gender differences, suggesting that females saw the counselling more positively in the low discrepancy condition while males did in the moderate. The results were not supportive of an interaction among reactance, discrepancy, and style, but are in line with macro-results in the counselling and psychotherapy literature indicating the primary importance of client variables.     

Accreditation,Credentialing, Professionalization: The Role of Specialties

This article provides an overview of standards development, accreditation, and credentialing with particular attention to specialties. There is much to celebrate with regard to progress and successes. On the other hand, even a cursory review of the history of counseling and its current status leaves questions begging for answers. A number of unresolved issues are considered, and the pros and cons of specialties in the professionalization of counseling are presented.     

The role of facial masculinity/femininity in the attribution of homosexuality

This study examined whether subjects would differentially perceive male and female faces as homosexual based upon facial masculinity/femininity, and the extent to which their attitudes toward homosexuals would influence their perceptions. Sixty-eight undergraduates indicated how likely they thought it was that 6 male and 6 female faces were homosexual; they also rated the individuals on attractiveness. The present sample also completed the Index of Homophobia, the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the Attitudes Toward Women Scale, a conservatism scale, and a demographic questionnaire. The subjects assigned higher homosexuality ratings to feminine male and masculine female faces compared to their masculine and feminine counterparts, respectively. In addition, unattractive female faces received higher attribution of homosexuality ratings compared to the attractive faces; such an effect was not observed for the male photographs. Sex of subject and attitudes toward homosexuality did not significantly affect evaluations.Portions of this paper were presented at the meetings of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 1989.     

Limbic networks and associative learning: I. Entorhinal contributions to instrumental conditioning

The hippocampal formation is a highly delineated brain structure that is believed to play a prominent role in learning and memory. The present experiment evaluated the contributions of medial and lateral perforant path input to bar press-conditioning under (a) continuous and (b) differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) schedules, and (c) shuttlebox avoidance conditioning. Bilateral deafferentation of either pathway had no effect on the acquisition of bar press responses or on performance under the DRL schedule. Deafferentation of the medial pathway facilitated acquisition of avoidance responses in a manner much like the effects seen in hippocampectomized animals. It is suggested that the medial perforant path participates in the expression of correlated patterns of neuronal discharge known to develop within the hippocampus and that this “model” serves to modulate the temporal characteristics of simple conditioned reflexes. Loss of the modulatory influence of the model may affect acquisition and extinction rates. Contributions of other hippocampal circuits are discussed in relation to established deficits. Preliminary results of this experiment were presented at the second annual convention of the American Psychological Society, Dallas, Texas, June 1990.     

Substantiating psychological injury under the federal employees' compensation act

This paper examines the administration of the Federal Employees Compensation Act by the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP). It examines compensation claims originating at a large federal agency with a psychological component as either cause or consequence of a work-related injury. Patterns of case outcomes are noted to be similar to those in other jurisdictions, and are discussed in terms of dirticdty of proof and policy preferences. Possible anomalies in the administration of the statutes are noted. The paper describes difliculties for mental health professionals attempting to substantiate psychological injuries, and addresses ethical issues related to tension between the nature of science and the requirements of administrative systems. Knowledge regarding idormational requirements and evaluative criteria used by OWCP is necessary to effectively substantiate the work-relatedness of an injury. The paper provides guidelines concerning these requirements and criteria.     

Is valentine still doubtful? A workshop model for children of divorce

We present this eight-session structured workshop format aimed at school-aged children of divorce who are considered psychologically healthy by family and teachers, in which we review the situations most frequently encountered by these families.In the workshop we offer an understanding vision of divorce while providing the children with the experience of working with therapists who are able to deal with highly troublesome issues in a caring atmosphere.Acknowledgements are expressed to Bernardita Cruz, school counselor, and Ilana Meler and Patricia Tahl, child psychologists.     

Risks,choices and behavioral treatment

Recent arguments against the use of intrusive behavioral interventions in the treatment of handicapped people are examined. The anti-aversive position was found to be based on assumptions about the negative impact of aversive procedures, and to consider only a small subset of the variables that should be taken into account when treatment decisions are made. A preliminary application of formal decision-analysis techniques that have been developed in response to other controversial technologies had a number of benefits including: (a) sharpening the distinction between scientific and social criteria; (b) sensitizing decision-makers and scientists to the range of costs, risks, and benefits associated with treatment decisions; and (c) identifying critical areas of research. Decision-analysis techniques were found to be helpful in directing scientists and policy-makers towards more informed decision-making.     

Limbic networks and associative learning: I. Entorhinal contributions to instrumental conditioning

The hippocampal formation is a highly delineated brain structure that is believed to play a prominent role in learning and memory. The present experiment evaluated the contributions of medial and lateral perforant path input to bar press-conditioning under (a) continuous and (b) differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) schedules, and (c) shuttlebox avoidance conditioning. Bilateral deafferentation of either pathway had no effect on the acquisition of bar press responses or on performance under the DRL schedule. Deafferentation of the medial pathway facilitated acquisition of avoidance responses in a manner much like the effects seen in hippocampectomized animals. It is suggested that the medial perforant path participates in the expression of correlated patterns of neuronal discharge known to develop within the hippocampus and that this “model” serves to modulate the temporal characteristics of simple conditioned reflexes. Loss of the modulatory influence of the model may affect acquisition and extinction rates. Contributions of other hippocampal circuits are discussed in relation to established deficits. Preliminary results of this experiment were presented at the second annual convention of the American Psychological Society, Dallas, Texas, June 1990.