Review of studies evaluating psychotherapy in bulimia nervosa: the influence of research methods

The purpose of the study was to test if design and research methods of studies predict outcome results of bulimia nervosa. Fifty-seven articles on outcome of bulimia nervosa were found through MEDLINE and PSYCHINFO databases and 25 were included in the statistical analysis. Percentages of patients with a good outcome ranged from 24% to 74% with a mean of 51.1%. The variables best predicting outcome were time to follow-up and number of symptoms evaluated in definition of good outcome whereas dropout, design of studies, treatments, and sample characteristics did not predict significantly. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Certain Effects of Mescaline and Lysergic Acid on Psychological Functions

An experiment was performed to determine whether or not changes in field dependence could be obtained under laboratory-produced stress conditions: i.e., body rotation. Two treatments and one control group were employed. Subjects in the first group were given the Rod and Frame Test; and, after a delay, they were spun and retested immediately after rotation (immediate-test group). Subjects in another group were given the Rod and Frame Test, were rotated ; and given the Rod and Frame Test after a delay of 10 minutes (delay-test group). Subjects in the control group were given the Rod and Frame Test and then given the Rod and Frame Test after a 15-minute delay. Subjects in both the immediate-test group and control group showed a decrease in field dependence, with the immediate-test group showing a slightly greater decrease than did the control group. Subjects in the delay-test group did not show a decrease in field dependence. Contrary to expectation, in no case was there a mean increase in field dependence. The results indicate the possibility of a normal decrease in field dependence with readministration of the Rod and Frame Test after a short lapse of time.     

Visual beats: Preliminary observations of perceived rate as a function of retinal locus stimulated

Visual beats produced by simultaneous presentation of two different flicker frequencies were used to determine the temporal processing of various retinal areas. The dichoptic presentation of two different flicker frequencies to the center and periphery of the retina resulted in a perceived beat rate that equalled the physical beat frequency. When the stimuli were presented to more discrete retinal areas (temporal vs temporal and nasal vs temporal), the perceived beat rate also equalled the physical beat frequency. The data indicate that different flicker frequencies stimulating divergent retinal loei can be represented accurately and simultaneously in the visual system: Differences in temporal resolution at the different retinal loei do not occur for this repetitive stimulation.     

Moderators of the Relation Between Popularity and Depressive Symptoms in Children: Processing Strength and Friendship Value

Children with low (n = 25) and high (n = 38) peer-rated popularity completed an emotional Stroop task, using negative social words, a self-report measure of friendship value relative to other domains of competence, and the Child Depression Inventory (CDI). Six months later, they completed the CDI again. In regression analyses, after controlling for prior CDI scores, social status interacted significantly with both Stroop and value measures (separate regressions). For unpopular children, both greater friendship valuing and greater negative social word Stroop interference predicted increases in depressive symptoms. In contrast, neither predictor was significant for popular children. In a third regression that included friendship value and Stroop interference as joint predictors of depression change, their effects remained significant and independent. We discuss these findings' implications for 3 models of depression; Champion and Power's social-cognitive theory of depression (L. A. Champion and M. J. Power, 1995), Pyszczynski and Greenberg's self-regulatory perseveration theory of depression (T. Pyszczynski & J. Greenberg, 1992), and Harter's model of global self-worth (S. Harter, 1985).     

Predicting Personality Stability Across the Life Span: The Role of Competence and Work and Family Commitments

Longitudinal studies suggest modest continuity in personality from adolescence to early adulthood and greater continuity over successive periods during the adult years. However, individual differences in personality stability do exist. We discuss potential sources of personality change, especially as they relate to development, role assumption and commitment, and loss of roles and commitments. Then, using data from the Intergenerational Studies, we employ measures of competence and of work and family commitments, assessed both in high school and adulthood, to predict personality stability from high school to early and late adulthood. Results indicate that personality stability can be successfully predicted with such measures. Greater personality stability is found for those determined to be more planfully competent, but additional family and work role variables also increase predictive power, in some instances. Using two alternate measures of competence—one from the California Q-sort and the other from the California Psychological Inventory—we replicated the finding that men with more disorderly careers show less personality stability, and that women who have experienced more divorces show less personality stability.