Objective: Identifying mediators of therapeutic change is important to the development of interventions and augmentation strategies. Threat reappraisal is considered a key mediator underlying the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders. The present study systematically reviewed the evidence for the threat reappraisal…

Objective: This research examined why smokers receiving combination medication for smoking cessation are more likely to quit smoking than are those who receive either single agent (monotherapy) or placebo. Method: Data were collected from 1,504 current smokers (58.2% women, 83.9% White; mean age = 44.67 years, SD = 11.08) participating in a…

The study concludes that the majority of research is focused on the diagnostic, descriptive, and psychometric problems of clinical psychology and not on decision making and treatment problems. (Author)

Results suggest that the major university force in publication in this Journal was found in the Midwest, although no one institution or related set of institutions dominated the clinical research. Implications about the role and nature of Midwestern clinical programs and APA-approved programs in general in this pattern were discussed. (Author)

Presents a series of arguments that emphasize the importance of comparatively evaluating psychotherapies with appropriate pharmacotherapy and pill placebo. The lack of a pill-placebo arm has rendered moot those studies that compared pharmacotherapy directly with psychotherapy because of the lack of an internal sample defining calibration with…

The results from the present study indicate that in a sample of psychotherapy patients, cooperative and less cooperative research subjects are distinguishable on a number of characteristics including background and psychotherapy variables. These results caution against generalizations based merely on cooperative participants. (Author)

Methods are proposed and described for estimating the degree to which relations among variables vary at the individual level. As an example, M. Fishbein and I. Ajzen's theory of reasoned action is examined. This article illustrates the use of empirical Bayes methods based on a random-effects regression model to estimate individual influences…

Interventions for a variety of emotional and behavioral problems are commonly delivered in the context of treatment groups, with many using rolling admission to sustain membership (i.e., admission, dropout, and discharge from group are perpetual and ongoing). The authors present an overview of the analytic challenges inherent in rolling group data…

Examined factors associated with research attrition in a long-term follow-up study (48 months). Researchers attempted to contact all randomized participants, not just those who completed treatment. The analyses deal primarily with refusal, the main reason for attrition. Short-term outcome did not predict refusal. The findings, if generalizable,…

Research should be supplemented with measures that do not require respondent cooperation. Unobtrusive'' measures were developed in this study to describe each ward in a state hospital, including such items as use of window curtains and style of staff dress. This ward profile'' correlated with such criteria as readmission rate, length of stay,…

Introduces series of seven articles presenting some of the issues and methods that characterize emerging mental health services research. Discusses five major areas of concern identified by the National Institute of Mental Health. Invites researchers and methodologists to contribute articles focusing on mental health services research…

The three major criticisms of Begelman and Hersen are discussed: (a) the measurement of awareness, (b) the parental rating scale, and (c) the exact nature of the therapeutic technique employed. Questions are raised concerning whether it is possible to clearly separate the various behavior modification techniques empirically or theoretically.…

Critical analysis is a legitimate aspect of scientific development. Examination of the limitations of behavioristic theory in its passage to therapeutic practice and the nonexplicit supplementary mechanisms inherent in the latter generates several such propositions, four are presented. (Author/CG)

Critiques an article that compared genuine suicide notes with simulated notes. Elaborates on theoretical and methodological difficulties, noting a lack of hypotheses, operationalized constructs, and prediction testing. Examines the operational design used in the article and suggests that the study of suicide notes in such a fashion should cease.…

Reviews research on the relationship between aspects of transference interpretation and outcome in dynamic psychotherapy. Also presents results of recent study of transference interpretations, concentration, and correspondence. Overall findings suggest that variation in technique may make a difference in brief dynamic therapy and variation and…