Can research influence clinical practice?1

After briefly reviewing the unfavourable reception accorded empirical research by parts of the psychoanalytic community, as well as some of the benefits to clinical practice of analysts being involved in research activities, the author examines whether the findings of process and outcome research in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis can help identify the most appropriate forms of intervention for producing therapeutic change, given the specific condition of the patient and the relationship that the individual establishes with the analyst. He argues that research findings can influence clinical practice on various levels and in different areas, and goes on to examine a number of related issues: the specificity of therapeutic interventions versus the relevance of common curative factors; the dyadic conception of technique and ways of understanding the therapeutic action of the treatment alliance; and the strategic or heuristic conception in psychoanalytic therapy. Finally, the author presents clinical material with the aim of illustrating how the knowledge acquired through research can be applied to psychoanalytic treatment.     

海洛因戒断者吸毒及情绪注意偏向的ERP研究

海洛因戒断组对吸毒、正、负性线索注意偏向是理解戒断者复吸脑机制的重要手段之一。研究采用dot-probe实验范式,海洛因戒断组及正常被试各10名,分别记录64个电极点脑电数据。结果表明,戒断者吸毒线索注意偏向P200振幅显著高于正负性情绪线索,也显著高于正常组,提示戒断者存在吸毒线索注意偏向;N300振幅显著低于正常组,说明戒断者具有较低的情绪评价;吸毒线索诱发P300振幅显著高于正常组,表明戒断组对吸毒线索可能附加情绪加工。     

人际心理治疗的发展

人际心理治疗是一种有时间限制、基于操作手册和生活事件、诊断指向的实证性心理治疗方法。它最初主要被用于重型抑郁成年患者的门诊治疗,现已被用于治疗多种心理障碍。人际心理治疗过程变化包括：是否还赋予患者“病人”角色、人际关系问题领域的变化、如何处理结束和安排时间等。不过,有关治疗过程的研究还很少。为了更好地满足大众的需要,它与其他心理治疗成分进行了整合及其自身的简化。文章最后讨论了人际心理治疗发展的特点和问题     

面孔吸引力研究方法综述

面孔吸引力研究是目前西方认知心理学、社会心理学以及文化心理学研究者们所共同关注的一个崭新的研究领域。众多研究表明,面孔的平均化、对称性和性别二态性是影响面孔吸引力的三个主要生物学因素。这些发现得益于各种面孔图像处理技术的发展和应用,其中包括多次曝光摄影技术、漫画和反漫画技术、Morph技术、“凯米拉”合成法以及面部特征测量法等。     

视觉客体工作记忆中图形特征存储与捆绑时程

采用单探测变化检测范式,考察了形状和颜色客体在工作记忆中的表征方式、特征检测类型及初始刺激呈现时间对工作记忆表征的影响。结果表明:(1)视觉客体工作记忆的表征包括两个水平,首先是对客体的特征进行加工存储,其次才是对特征的捆绑;(2)不同特征的加工时间不同,颜色的加工完成的较早,记忆效果好,而形状的加工完成的较晚,记忆效果也差,表现出颜色的子系统优势;(3)特征的捆绑不是必需的,只有在任务需要时才进行,并且捆绑的过程符合特征捆绑的双阶段理论。     

Personality, career decision self-efficacy and commitment to the career choices process among Chinese graduate students

This study examined the mediating effect of career decision self-efficacy on the relationship between the Five-Factor Model of personality and the career commitment process (i.e., vocational commitment and the tendency to foreclose) in a sample of 785 Chinese graduate students. The multiple regression analyses showed that neuroticism and conscientiousness related significantly to progress in vocational commitment both directly and indirectly through career decision self-efficacy. High agreeableness related to less premature foreclosure. In addition, career decision self-efficacy associated with greater progress in vocational commitment but also a strong tendency to foreclose. The implications for career development theory and practice are discussed.     

The Primary Triangle and Variation in Nuclear Family Functioning

The triangle, a concept in Bowen theory, is the emotional molecule in the family system that shapes the human over the course of life. This longitudinal study explored the influence of the family of origin primary triangle on 51 couples’ family of procreation functioning over 10 years. The quantitative analysis found associations between family of procreation functioning and three variables: distance versus openness in the family of origin primary triangle, the degree of inside and outside positions in the primary triangle, and the degree of family projection as expressed in worry. In addition, the three triangle relationships correlated with each other, supporting the idea that each relationship influenced the other. Using qualitative methods, a focused analysis elaborated on the quantitative findings.     

Therapist response modes in the exploration stage: timing and effectiveness

In an investigation of the exploration stage of single counselling sessions with 26 anxious female volunteer clients and 13 female doctoral student therapists, no overall association was found between client narrative processing modes and subsequent therapist verbal response modes. There was evidence in a third of the sample for an association between therapist response modes and subsequent client narrative modes, such that clients used more internal than external or reflexive narrative processing modes when therapists used open questions about feelings and reflections of feelings. Client and therapist helpfulness ratings did not differ for different therapist response modes or client narrative process modes. Hence, overall results suggested that all four therapist response modes (open questions about thoughts, open questions about feelings, restatements, reflections of feelings) are effective during the exploration stage.     

Sex differences when searching for a mate: A process‐tracing approach

Sex differences in the extent of mate search were investigated using two sequential choice processes. In Study 1, attribute search, prior to choosing a mate or rejecting two competing mates, for either a short‐ or long‐term relationship, was explored. Men (women) seeking short‐term relationships were the least (most) likely to reject both suitors. Men acquired a greater number of attributes prior to rejecting mates. The length of the relationship solely affected men's search behaviors. Study 2 utilized a nested sequential model namely participants decided how many suitors to sample prior to choosing a short‐term mate, and how many attributes to acquire on each sampled suitor. Women sampled a greater number of suitors prior to choosing a mate. Biological sex was found to be a greater moderator of mate search than were three personality traits linked to search. Across both studies less information was acquired prior to rejecting versus choosing a mate. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cognitive errors,coping patterns,and the therapeutic alliance: A pilot study of in‐session process

Aim: This exploratory study examined the association between clients’ assessment of the therapeutic alliance and their cognitive errors (CE) and coping action patterns (CAP). Method: Selected therapy sessions of clients (N = 26) were rated for cognitive errors and coping action patterns using the CERS and CAPRS methods (Drapeau, Perry, & Dunkley, 2008; Perry, Drapeau, & Dunkley, 2005). The therapeutic alliance was assessed using the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI; Horvath & Greenberg, 1989). Results: Following Bonferroni corrections, no significant relationship was found between clients’ CEs and their ratings of the WAI. However, the ‘Negotiation’ CAP was associated with the total alliance score, and with the Task and Goal subscales. Implications: A better understanding of the cognitive processes presented by clients in session can enable clinicians to address these factors early on when the alliance is most critical.