Last year the American Psychological Association (APA) voted not to hold future conventions in states where the Equal Rights Amendment has not been passed. At its annual meeting, the APA also decided not to print a quarterly psychology magazine. Meeting emphasis concerning psychotherapy was in anticipation of Natural Health Insurance. (MA)

Discusses the essential interrelationship between the flow of ideas, self-experience and breathing. (Editor/RK)

Investigated effects of hypnosis as a treatment for weight loss among women. The primary hypothesis that hypnosis is an effective treatment for weight loss was confirmed, but seven concomitant variables and the use of audiotapes were not significant contributors to weight loss. (Author/ABB)

Surveyed 158 members of American Academy of Psychotherapists in attempt to identify primary users of bibliotherapy, problems for which bibliotherapy seems most applicable, and reading resources that are being used effectively. Found that bibliotherapy was used often, particularly with childrearing skills and sexual dysfunctions. Years of…

Responds to Mahoney and Lyddon's review of constructivism in previous article by focusing on developments emerged from work with Neo-Cognitive Psychotherapy that add new and necessary dimension to issues of agency and constructivism. Presents neo-cognitive view of thought and discusses the evolution of understanding. (NB)

Reacts to four cognitive-behavioral therapeutic approaches of systematic desensitization, rational restructuring, anxiety management training, and stress inoculation training, and to previous articles discussing the approaches. Concludes that approaches seem uniquely well-suited to use as part of deliberate psychological education efforts. (NB)

Responds to previous articles discussing counseling techniques of systematic desensitization, anxiety management training, stress inoculation training, and rational restructuring. Raises additional considerations with respect to assessment, technique selection, and technique implementation. (NB)

The paper reviews objections to meta-analysis in psychotherapy. It is suggested that claims to inclusiveness and objectivity are not supported by the evidence, and that for most purposes the simplistic scoring systems of meta-analysis are not only useless, but may be counterproductive. (Author/CL)

Reviews ethical and legal issues concerning the application of informed consent in psychotherapy in relation to (1) controversies in defining an informed consent; (2) ethical and legal responsibilites of psychotherapist obtaining informed consent; (3) potential ethical and legal liabilities for not implementing informed consent doctrine; and (4)…

Examined whether the payment of a fee affects the outcome of treatment in undergraduate students (N=76). Results showed that following therapy, clients who had not paid a fee reported reliably lower levels of symptom and problem distress. (LLL)

Presents a survey of published and private opinions of mental health professionals revealing a previously hidden consensus concerning certain values that enhance mental health: Freedom, Love, Identity, Truth, Universals, Symptom Management, and Work. There was disagreement about the effect of many other values on mental health. (Author/BH)

Psychotherapy clients (N=62) were randomly assigned to view a pretherapy orientation videotape at admission or to a control group. Oriented clients understood and recalled the information in the videotape, showed a greater decrease in self-reported symptoms than the control group after one month, and gave favorable feedback regarding the…

Observation has indicated that low self-esteem is pervasive in clients with anorexia and bulimia. Possible origins of the self-esteem deficit, its relationship to eating problems, and psychotherapeutic strategies to counteract the deficits are explored. (Author/BL)

Analyzes the attrition dilemma and reviews the methods used to compensate for data loss. Argues that attrition is not utlimately a problem of bias but a problem of lack of information. Offers a reformulation that integrates single-case studies with traditional group comparison methodology in an attempt to find optimal causal relations of…

Discusses anorexia nervosa in terms of symptoms, characteristics of patients, family relationship, and modes of treatment. Suggests that a combination of psychological and medical treatment is more effective than behavior modification. (JAC)