Comments on the original article, "The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy," by J. Shedler. As Shedler noted, some researchers have reflexively and stridently dismissed psychodynamic therapy (PT) as ineffective without granting outcome studies on this modality a fair hearing. We applaud Shedler's efforts to bring PT into the scientific…

Responds to the comments by H. N. Garb (2007) and A. M. Ruscio (2007) on the current authors' original article "Plate tectonics in the classification of personality disorder: Shifting to a dimensional model" (2007). Unable to respond to all of Garb's and Ruscio's concerns given space limitations, the current authors attempt to respond to key…

Comments on the original article "Plate tectonics in the classification of personality disorder: Shifting to a dimensional model," by T. A. Widiger and T. J. Trull (2007). Widiger and Trull raised important nosological issues that warrant serious consideration not only for the personality disorders but for all mental disorders as the Diagnostic…

Comments on the original article "Plate tectonics in the classification of personality disorder: Shifting to a dimensional model," by T. A. Widiger and T. J. Trull. The purpose of this comment is to address (a) whether psychologists know how personality traits are currently assessed by clinicians and (b) the reliability and validity of those…

The diagnostic categories of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders were developed in the spirit of a traditional medical model that considers mental disorders to be qualitatively distinct conditions (see, e.g., American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Work is now beginning on the fifth edition…

This article focuses on (a) the types and incidence of casualties reported for encounter groups; (b) participant, group, and leader variables associated with negative outcome, (c) procedures for minimizing casualties, and (d) research considerations. (Author/AM)

Focuses attention on social disability'' as a unitary disorder; provides a rationale for an environmental view of it; suggests a theoretical framework within which etiological hypotheses can be tested; and relates the concept to conventional psychiatric classification. (Author/JM)

The special needs of young adults with concurrent mental health and substance abuse problems are discussed. This article presents federal initiatives and research findings, and describes state-of-the-art approaches to treatment and rehabilitation. Strategies for training mental health professionals to diagnose and treat dually disabled persons are…