Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are disproportionately affected by disparities in the United States (U.S.) healthcare system due to medical miscommunications, misdiagnoses, and treatment errors. The purpose of this commentary is to provide an overarching social-ecological perspective on how to enhance patient-centered…

In this commentary, the author reflects on her article entitled, "Alcohol and Dating Risk Factors for Sexual Assault Among College Women" (Abbey, Ross, McDuffie, & McAuslan, 1996) and her work in personal, intellectual, and disciplinary context. The original article can be found at http://pwq.sagepub.com/content/20/1/147. This personal reflection…

However intuitively appealing the notion is that therapists learn from clinical experience (presumably both successes and failures), whether clinical judgment actually is enhanced by experience remains a matter on which there continues to be disagreement. The author discusses the meta-analysis of P.M. Spengler et al. that demonstrates a supportive…

Clinical judgment is foundational to psychological practice. Accurate judgment forms the basis for establishing reasonable goals and selecting appropriate treatments, which in turn are essential in achieving positive therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, Spengler and colleagues' meta-analytic finding--clinical judgment accuracy improves marginally with…

Discusses the movement within nursing to refine nursing diagnoses--clinical diagnoses by nurses that describe health problems that nurses are able and licensed to treat. This critique is intended to raise questions about the rapid institutionalization of nursing diagnosis. (JOW)

A pediatric allergist reviews his clinical observations on the relationship between delayed food allergy onset and a variety of systemic and nervous system symptoms. (CL)

Comments on "Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions" by Seligman, Steen, Park, and Peterson (see record 2005-08033-003). Seligman and colleagues provided a progress report on positive psychology, reviewing the impressive developments over the past five years. We wholeheartedly support the positive psychology movement…

Reviews prenatal and postnatal methods of gestational age estimation and evaluates implementation of this information in research. Recommendations concerning the assignment of gestational age in the perinatal period and the use of age correction for preterm infants are offered. (Author/BC)

Since the early 1960s, most discussions about the improvement of continuing medical education (CME) have begun by seeking a better understanding of how physicians learn. The goal of this movement has been to put physician learners and their learning needs, not new research findings, at the center of the educational process. This has led CME away…

A young woman diagnosed as having Tourette Syndrome as an adult recounts the years of misunderstanding and humiliation prior to correct diagnosis and therapy. The importance of parents sharing family medical history with children and physicians is emphasized. (DB)

Discusses three caveats to the evidence-based paradigm in medical education: (1) detection of abnormalities that may not ever be overtly expressed inflates apparent diagnostic test performance; (2) probability revision is valuable primarily as an exercise to gain qualitative insights; and (3) patients are likely to be interested in more than just…

Summarizes a discussion by ten leaders in the field of child sexual abuse concerning the medical consequences of child sexual abuse. (DB)

The social, legal, and political discussion about the decision to stop feeding and hydration for Terri Schiavo lacked a medical ethics assessment. The authors used the principles of medical indications, quality of life, patient preference, and contextual features as a guide to medical decision-making in this case. Their conclusions include the…

The author describes damage and normal development of the brain, as well as assessment and intervention with brain-damaged children. After a brief introduction on the complex and delicate process of brain development and a review of incidence, aspects of etiology such as genetic and postnatal causes are discussed. Brain development is examined…

Physicians, to varying degrees, are increasingly involved in diagnostic formulation, collaborative intervention, and advocacy with handicapped children. There is now a greater emphasis on family assessments, neurodevelopmental examination, medical treatments, counseling, actual collaboration, and independent evaluation. (Author)