James Astor in conversation with Warren Colman

In this interview with Warren Colman, James Astor speaks about his development as a Jungian analyst from his own experience of personal analysis in the 1960s to his recent retirement from clinical practice. The discussion covers his long association with Michael Fordham, the child analytic training at the SAP, the infant observation seminars with Fordham and Gianna Henry through which Fordham was able to make new discoveries about infant development, his experience of supervision with Donald Meltzer and the development of his own thinking through a series of papers on the analytic process, supervision and the relation between language and truth. The interview concludes with reflections about the legacy of Michael Fordham and the future of analytic work.     

Strategie Calibration and Spatial Alignment: A Model From Prism Adaptation

Two types of adaptive processes involved in prism adaptation have been identified: slower spatial realignment among the several unique sensorimotor coordinate systems (spatial maps) and faster strategic motor control responses (including skill learning and calibration) to spatial misalignment. One measures the 1st process by assessing the aftereffects of prism exposure, whereas direct effects of the prism during exposure are a measure of the 2nd process. A model is described that relates those adaptive processes and distinguishes between extraordinary alignment and ordinary calibration. A conformal translation algorithm that operates on the hypothesized circuitry is proposed. The authors apply the model to explain the advantage of visual calibration when the limb is seen in the starting position prior to movement initiation. Implications of the model for the use of prism adaptation as a tool for investigation of motor control and learning are discussed.     

Gross Motor Performance in Minimally Brain Injured Children

As a pre-requisite to curriculum development, the characteristics of the gross motor performance of special education classes of minimally brain injured boys and girls were described. In general, age changes in mean performance were linear, the scores of the boys being the superior. The level of performance very closely resembled that of comparison groups of educable mentally retarded children from the same school districts.     

抱负水平指导和归因训练对提高学习成功感的影响研究

在学习成功感影响因素研究的基础上,本研究进行了抱负水平指导和归因训练的实验研究,以探索提高学习成功感这一重要的实践问题。研究一的结果表明：通过抱负水平指导,可以使学生的“抱负水平与实际成绩之间的差距”变小．从而帮助学生提高学习成功感,并使其行为变得更为积极。研究二的结果表明：归因训练可以帮助学生的归因向积极方向转化,有助于学生的学习成功感的提高,并可以促使学生的行为向积极的方向转化。     

Transformations in Therapeutic Practice

In her training of therapists, Virginia Satir sought to change the way her trainees perceived themselves, their clients, and the therapeutic endeavor. The change she sought was a movement from hierarchical models of therapy where clients were diagnosed in terms of paradigms of how they ought to be to an organic model where the therapist attempts to understand the client by entering the client's internal context. Contemporary training in the Satir model attempts to bring about the same change. Research indicates that the trainers are succeeding.     

Clinical Psychology Students’ Experiences of a Pilot Objective Structured Clinical Examination

There is a need to improve methods used to assess students’ clinical skills in postgraduate clinical psychology training, but research into the use of new competency‐based assessments are sparse. The current study examines the potential application of the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to clinical psychology training. Commonly used in medical training, the OSCE requires students to demonstrate clinical skills across a number of standardised stations with trained actors playing the part of patients. A pilot OSCE was conducted with nine students from a psychology doctoral program. Participants completed a brief student feedback questionnaire and attended a focus group after the OSCE. They also completed the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory before and after the OSCE. The results showed that students viewed the OSCE as a valid, realistic, and fair assessment method. They reported high levels of anxiety during the OSCE but noted that the OSCE was a positive learning experience. These results suggest that OSCEs should be considered in clinical psychology training programs for the assessment of clinical competence. Further evaluations of the validity and reliability of the clinical psychology OSCE using a larger sample size are required. Other limitations and implications of the study are discussed.     

在线抑制控制训练对失败的限制性饮食者不健康食物选择的改善

失败的限制性饮食者是进食障碍的高危人群,他们面对食物时的抑制控制能力通常很弱,从而更易发展为肥胖,所以改善失败的限制性饮食者对不健康食物的进食选择十分重要。本文采用在线停止信号任务,通过提高失败的限制性饮食者对不健康食物图片的抑制控制能力,从而减少他们在日常生活中对不健康食物的选择。首先对66名失败的限制性饮食者实施前测,然后随机分为对不健康食物图片进行抑制反应的干预组(n=33)和对非食物图片进行抑制反应的控制组(n=31),两组被试接受每天一次(每次10 min左右)共计7次的训练。完成训练后,所有被试均接受后测。结果发现,干预训练后,与控制组相比,干预组被试对不健康食物的选择频率以及对不健康食物自我报告的吸引力和喜爱程度均显著降低。     

阅读水平调节儿童阅读眼动注视模式的发展:基于9～11岁儿童的证据

按照3~5年级小学生的语文阅读水平,在各年级中分别选取年龄相同的高、中、低三组儿童作为被试,要求他们阅读适合本年级阅读水平的5篇短文,探讨同一年龄段内读者阅读水平的高低对阅读眼动注视模式的影响是否存在发展上的差异。通过记录其眼动轨迹,结果发现:9岁儿童的阅读眼动注视模式受读者本身阅读水平的影响最大,10岁次之,到11岁,随着儿童基本眼动行为的成熟,这种影响随之消失。表明读者阅读眼动注视模式的发展动力来源于语言操作技能和眼球运动协调性提高的交互作用。     

University psychology clinics in Australia: Their place in professional training

Abstract: There is universal recognition of the need for developmentally appropriate supervised clinical experience in professional psychology training. University clinics were established to provide a bridging function for postgraduate clinical psychology students, assisting the integration of psychological theory and research into real‐world clinical applications and professional identity development. The aim of training in university clinics is to provide opportunities for clinical practice and high‐quality supervision to monitor and shape clinical skills. The experiences gained in external practicum settings complement this initial training but cannot replace it. The recent introduction of Medicare rebates for psychology services has threatened the survival of university clinics because low‐cost psychological treatment is now available from experienced practitioners. This paper provides data on Australian university clinics collected before the introduction of Medicare. Concerted efforts are needed to protect university clinics in order to maintain standards required for accreditation of clinical psychology training programs. The potential impact of the loss of university training clinics is discussed and strategies to ensure their survival are suggested.