Succession and survival in psychotherapy organizations

Abstract: This paper examines the world of psychotherapy by applying a systemic and psychodynamic understanding of the family business as a way of understanding the dilemmas and challenges of leadership succession. Oedipal factors are explored as an important theme within the succession process. This exploration is set within the context of what function psychotherapy has performed in society over the last thirty years. The hypothesis is that the first generation of leaders aimed to provide containment for the individual citizen at a time of failed dependency in society. The suggestion is that this gave way to the primary task for the second generation, which has been to focus on the therapist in training. The challenge for the third generation is to develop a meaningful role for psychotherapy today and to ensure survival at a time when other shorter therapies such as CBT are gaining ascendancy over longer term psychoanalytic psychotherapy.     

Graded response model based on the logistic positive exponent family of models for dichotomous responses

Samejima (Psychometrika 65:319–335, 2000) proposed the logistic positive exponent family of models (LPEF) for dichotomous responses in the unidimensional latent space. The objective of the present paper is to propose and discuss a graded response model that is expanded from the LPEF, in the context of item response theory (IRT). This specific graded response model belongs to the general framework of graded response model (Samejima, Psychometrika Monograph, No. 17, 1969 and No. 18, 1972; Handbook of modern item response theory, Springer, New York, 1997; Encyclopedia of Social Measurement, Academic Press, San Diego, 2004), and, in particular to the heterogeneous case (Samejima, Psychometrika Monograph, No. 18, 1972). Thus, the model can deal with any number of ordered polytomous responses, such as letter grades (e.g., A, B, C, D, F), etc. For brevity, hereafter, the model will be called the LPEF graded response model, or LPEFG. This model reflects the opposing two principles contained in the LPEF for dichotomous responses, with the logistic model (Birnbaum, Statistical theories of mental test scores, Addison Wesley, Reading, 1968) as their transition, which provide a reasonable rationale for partial credits in LPEFG, among others.     

The effectiveness of UK student counselling services: an analysis using the CORE System

Despite concern surrounding the mental health of students, brought about by the government's policy of widening participation and increasing demands upon students, the effectiveness of student counselling has been a neglected research area. This study examines data from seven UK student counselling services using the CORE System in the routine evaluation of their services. Results indicate that counselling is effective, with 70% (service range 67% to 83%) of clients with outcome measures available showing reliable improvement on the CORE-OM from pre- to post-therapy. However, students who complete a course of counselling show significantly greater improvement, according to practitioner pre- and post-therapy severity ratings of depression and anxiety, than those clients who drop out or have an unplanned therapy ending (effect size 1.03, 0.85, respectively). The stage at which students drop out of therapy is important, with those students dropping out of therapy before the third session being the most vulnerable. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

瑞典的双生子与子代研究： 通过双生子及其家庭来增加对遗传与环境互动的了解

双生子及子代研究（TOSS）收集了909对双生子及他（她）们的配偶和他（她）们的青少年子女的数据。设计该项目是为研究以下三个问题：1）遗传与环境是如何影响双生子父母的养育方式的？2）遗传与环境是如何影响成年人的家庭关系的？3）家庭关系是如何影响成年人的心理调适的？由于此研究包括了双生子及其子女,该设计可以与其他研究相比较来具体地分析遗传与环境的关联。此研究的结果有助于厘清遗传与环境在养育方式和家庭关系中的型态,同时也澄清了父母亲个人特征是如何影响他（她）们的养育方式,以及父母的个体特征是如何帮助解释了遗传对家庭关系的影响。此研究今后将进一步分析遗传与环境的关联与互动,以及候选基因与环境的关联与互动     

The Medical Offset Effect: Patterns in Outpatient Services Reduction for High Utilizers of Health Care

Psychosocial intervention has been found to be related to subsequent reductions in health care use. Studies generally measure this “offset effect” by combining medical use categories into one outcome variable, such as outpatient doctor visits. However, using a general outcome variable may obscure more specific patterns of reduction. In an effort to identify potential “targets” for mental health intervention, outpatient care for health screening, illness visits, laboratory/X-ray, and urgent care were considered. Health care use reductions were most prominent for high utilizers and were found across a number of different types of outpatient care. With high utilizers, those who participated in MFT showed significant reductions of 68% for health screening visits, 38% for illness visits, 56% for laboratory/X-ray visits, and 78% for urgent care visits.     

Theoretical counselling orientations of teachers in Hong Kong

Thirty-seven Chinese teacher-counsellors in Hong Kong were assessed on their theoretical orientations using a 45-item self-report checklist at the beginning of their advanced training and at the end of a course on counselling theories. Based on their ratings on nine theoretical orientations, it could be inferred that the beliefs and values of these teachers were most congruent with those of the Person-Centred approach. With ratings above a cutoff score as endorsement, teachers were found to endorse more orientations in the post-course assessment, reflecting an increase in flexibility in approach. Despite the fact that teachers’ reported self-efficacy toward helping significantly increased in post-course assessment, teachers’ membership in low, medium, and high self-efficacy groups did not have any bearing on teachers’ changes in flexibility in approach or changes in primary approach. Implications of the findings for understanding teacher-counsellors’ process of finding an integrative approach personally meaningful for their future practice are discussed.     

Posttraumatic growth in trauma survivors: Implications for practice

The study of positive sequelae to trauma is increasingly a focus of attention in the trauma research literature. This paper describes the construct of posttraumatic growth, a phenomenon that involves positive changes and benefits gained through coping with traumatic experiences. Variables associated with posttraumatic growth are summarized. Specific interventions for counselling psychology practice are described.     

Une approche de l’évolution des relations entre conseil (en orientation,en insertion, à l’emploi) et sélection professionnelle

An approach to the evolution of the relations between school and career counselling activities and those of personnel selection during the 20th century in France leads to distinguish between three periods. During the first one, these activities (organised around the notion of aptitudes) were close. The second period was marked by the birth of procedures for selecting and distributing the students within the school organisation: vocational counselling activities grew apart from those in the domains of employment counselling and selection. In the last period (characterized by a high unemployment rate and a growth of very flexible forms of work and employment) these different activities – organised around the notion of competence – came closer. In short, these activities appear to find their meaning only through their reciprocal links, in connection with the kind of work and school organizations where they take place.     

The experiences of counselling for persons with ME

A number of studies have evaluated counselling interventions for people with myalgic encephalitis, but few report client perceptions in any detail. This study seeks to explore client perceptions using a qualitative methodology. A sample of 25 individuals with myalgic encephalitis were interviewed about their experiences in counselling. The interviews were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis using grounded theory principles. The analysis showed that people with myalgic encephalitis endure significant changes to their lives, often involving great loss and trauma. After seeking help through counselling, participants had experienced a wide variety of approaches and there were positive and negative perceptions of each. Other perceptions related to therapist characteristics and the way in which interventions were carried out. Recommendations for practitioners are given.