Meta-analysis of CBT for Bulimia Nervosa: Investigating the Effects Using DSM-III-R and DSM-IV Criteria

This meta-analysis reports the effects of cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) on bulimia nervosa as defined by the DSM-III-R or DSM-IV criteria. In a previous meta-analysis, 26 studies were included using less strict diagnostic criteria for inclusion. The present meta-analysis only included randomized controlled studies fulfilling the DSM-III-R or DSM-IV criteria. Computer searches in MedLine, PsychLIT and references cited herein resulted in a large number articles, of which only seven fulfilled the criteria for inclusion. Effect sizes for binge eating and purging frequency were estimated using both between-group (treatment vs control) and within-group (pre- vs post-treatment) comparisons. The combined within-group effect size for binge eating was r = 0.55 ( d = 1.32) and for purging r = 0.61 ( d = 1.54). The corresponding combined effects for the between-group comparisons were r = 0.23 ( d = 0.47) and r = 0.28 ( d = 0.58), respectively. The combined probabilities for frequency of purging in between- and within-group comparisons were p = 0.00001 and p = 0.00000001, respectively. Although the number of studies included in the meta-analysis was limited, the obtained results are in line with the findings of the previous meta-analysis, and support the efficacy of CBT for the treatment of bulimia nervosa. This suggestion is also supported by the fact that in all the studies except one, comparison groups had received other active treatments.     

Modality differences in timing and temporal memory throughout the lifespan

The perception of time is heavily influenced by attention and memory, both of which change over the lifespan. In the current study, children (8 yrs), young adults (18–25 yrs), and older adults (60–75 yrs) were tested on a duration bisection procedure using 3 and 6-s auditory and visual signals as anchor durations. During test, participants were exposed to a range of intermediate durations, and the task was to indicate whether test durations were closer to the “short” or “long” anchor. All groups reproduced the classic finding that “sounds are judged longer than lights”. This effect was greater for older adults and children than for young adults, but for different reasons. Replicating previous results, older adults made similar auditory judgments as young adults, but underestimated the duration of visual test stimuli. Children showed the opposite pattern, with similar visual judgments as young adults but overestimation of auditory stimuli. Psychometric functions were analyzed using the Sample Known Exactly-Mixed Memory quantitative model of the Scalar Timing Theory of interval timing. Results indicate that children show an auditory-specific deficit in reference memory for the anchors, rather than a general bias to overestimate time and that aged adults show an exaggerated tendency to judge visual stimuli as “short” due to a reduction in the availability of controlled attention.     

Automatic thoughts as a predictor of internalizing and externalizing problems in Chinese adolescents: A test of the cognitive content‐specificity hypothesis with age effects

The main aim of the current study was to test the cognitive content‐specificity hypothesis across internalizing and externalizing problems in Chinese adolescents. The participants consisted of 2,158 adolescents aged 11–19 years from three middle schools, and they completed a number of measures assessing a wide range of automatic thoughts and syndromes related to internalizing and externalizing problems. Multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that thoughts about social threats, personal failure and hostility were the strongest predictors of anxiety, depression, and externalizing problems, respectively. Age was a statistically significant, albeit modest, moderator of the relationship between automatic thoughts about social threat and anxiety. The current study provides support for the cognitive content‐specificity hypothesis in internalizing and externalizing problems in a Chinese sample.     

Making sense of one’s actions in an explanatory vacuum: The interpretation of nonconscious goal striving

Previous research has found that performing norm-violating behaviors based on a nonconsciously-activated goal elicits negative affect (Oettingen, Grant, Smith, Skinner, & Gollwitzer, 2006). In the present research we explored whether this negative affect is eliminated when an earlier conscious goal with congruent behavioral effects can be used to explain the norm-violating behavior. Our findings suggest that applicable conscious goals are indeed used to interpret nonconsciously-activated goal striving (Study 1), and that this interpretation occurs reflexively rather than reflectively (Study 2), with implications for interpersonal behavior (Study 3). The role of social norms, applicable conscious goals, and negative affect in the interpretation of nonconscious goal pursuit is discussed.     

Kicking the habit: Effects of nonstereotypic association training and correction processes on hiring decisions

The primary aim of the present research was to examine the effect of training in associating nonstereotypic traits with men and women on hiring decisions. While previous findings demonstrate that training can reduce the uncontrolled activation of stereotypes, the present results show that training by itself may not reduce the more controlled application of stereotypes. Across both no training and training conditions, participants chose male over female candidates for a leadership function. However, extensive nonstereotypic training did reduce sex discrimination when the training phase was disassociated from the choice of candidate task or when the participant's cognitive capacity was limited. These findings provide further evidence for the effectiveness of training in decreasing intergroup biases and for the potential influence of mental correction in moderating the effects of nonstereotypic training.     

Perfectionism, and Cognitions, Affect, Self-esteem, and Physiological Reactions in a Performance Situation

The current paper describes the results of an experiment in which 200 students who varied in levels of trait perfectionism performed a laboratory task and then were assessed in terms of levels of state affect, state self-esteem, and state automatic thoughts. Independent variables included task difficulty (high versus moderate level of difficulty) and performance feedback independent of their actual level of performance (positive or negative). Analyses also examined objective levels of performance (i.e., the number of errors on the task) and initial confidence in performance. Analyses showed that the experience of state automatic thoughts involving perfectionism was associated with negative automatic thoughts, negative affective reactions, and lower state self-esteem. Analyses of changes in mood and self-esteem showed generally that participants high in socially prescribed perfectionism had increased levels of dysphoria and anxiety and lower levels of state self-esteem following the experience of negative performance feedback or after having a relatively poor performance. Analyses of the physiological measures found increased systolic blood pressure among self-oriented perfectionists who had poorer performance and among socially prescribed perfectionists who had received negative feedback about their performance. The results for heart-rate changes yielded a less clear pattern, though there was evidence that participants with high socially prescribed perfectionism had increased heart rate if they received negative feedback and were relatively low in confidence. Collectively, these findings illustrate that how perfectionists react in challenging situations varies as a function of actual performance, performance feedback, and feelings of personal efficacy.

让决策科学化成为当代临床的强音——走访专家名流 广泛听取进一步办好“临床决策论坛版”的意见

为了更好地办好《医学与哲学》“临床决策论坛版”,使之更加贴近临床,为广大临床医生提供更加科学、合理的决策思路,2008年1月5日至14日,本刊常务副主编赵明杰、编辑王德顺调研和走访了七大城市（北京、太原、西安、武汉、长沙、济南、沈阳）,与这些城市的17家大型医院的174名临床专家进行了座谈、交流和讨论。本次调研的行程如下：     

Styles of pulling in youths with trichotillomania: exploring differences in symptom severity, phenomenology, and comorbid psychiatric symptoms

To date, no studies have examined possible phenomenological differences between the automatic and focused styles of pulling in youths with TTM. The aims of the current study were to examine differences in TTM severity, phenomenology, comorbid psychiatric symptoms, and functional impact across youths with varying degrees of these pulling styles. Youths between the ages of 10 and 17 years (and their parent) were recruited via an Internet-based survey. A total of 186 youths with chronic hair pulling was classified as “high-focused” or “low-focused” and either “high-automatic” or “low-automatic” based upon scores obtained on the Milwaukee Inventory for Styles of Trichotillomania-Child Version (MIST-C) using a median-split procedure. Results demonstrated significant differences between pulling styles. More specifically, “high-focused” pullers reported more severe TTM and greater symptoms of anxiety and depression than “low-focused” pullers, and “high-automatic” pullers reported greater symptoms of depression than “low-automatic” pullers. Subsequent analyses suggest that, in comparison to youths with low levels of both automatic and focused pulling, those experiencing high levels of focused pulling but low levels of automatic pulling reported phenomenological differences and were more likely to engage in additional repetitive behaviors (i.e., skin picking, lip/cheek biting). Clinical and research implications, study limitations, and future areas of research are discussed.     

Blonde like me: When self-construals moderate stereotype priming effects on intellectual performance

Stereotype priming can lead to assimilation or contrast effects on behavior. We argue that self-activation is a moderator of both assimilation and contrast effects. To test this hypothesis, in two studies, we activated independent or interdependent self-knowledge before priming participants with the dumb Blonde stereotype or a control category (Study 1) or no prime (Study 2). Participants then answered a knowledge test. Results support our expectations: Participants presented assimilation under interdependence (i.e., underperformance compared to control group) while they presented no assimilation (i.e., comparable performance with control group in Study 1) and contrast (better performance than control group in Study 2) under independence. We discuss implications of these findings in regards of previous research and recent models such as the Active Self Account [Wheeler, S. C., DeMarree, K. G., & Petty, R. E. (2005). The roles of the self in priming-to-behavior effects. In A. Tesser, J. V. Wood, & D. A. Stapel (Eds.), On building, defending and regulating the self: A psychological perspective (pp. 245-271). New York, NY, USA: Psychology Press].     

Assimilation and contrast to group primes: The moderating role of ingroup identification

This research examined the conditions under which behavioral contrast would be observed in relation to ingroup and outgroup primes. The authors tested the hypothesis that differing levels of commitment to the ingroup would predict diverging behavioral responses to outgroup but not ingroup primes. Across two studies, featuring both age and gender groups, we found that ingroup identification predicted responses to outgroup primes with higher identifiers showing an increased tendency to contrast, that is, behave less like the outgroup, and more like the ingroup. Ingroup identification did not predict responses to ingroup primes. The implications of these findings for social comparison and social identity theories are discussed.