The severity and diversity of problems for which drug-using clients (N=182) seek treatment is investigated during assessment and follow-up using cluster analysis. Five clusters in eight life-functioning domains were identified at each point. The constellations and severity of problems reported indicate changes over time in service needs. (EMK)

Reviews the DSM-IV criteria for conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), comparing their counterparts in DSM-III-R. Results from DSM-IV field trials indicate interrater and test-retest reliability were only marginally improved compared to prior criteria. Although overlooked in DSM-IV, community factors, gender differences,…

This article discusses diagnostic overshadowing, a robust bias that negatively affects the accuracy of clinicians' judgments about concomitant mental illness in persons with mental retardation and mental illness. Reviewing 12 studies, it examined moderators of diagnostic overshadowing and found clinician's cognitive complexity negatively affects…

One hundred forty-nine inpatients within a maximum security psychiatric facility were assessed with the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV; S. D. Hart, D. N. Cox, & R. D. Hare, 1995). Within the total sample, 68% had a psychotic disorder and 30% met criteria for psychopathy. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the authors tested the…

Terminology in the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale of DSM-IV often is irrelevant to the realities of nursing homes, assisted living centers, and similar facilities in which residents encounter stressors that are unique to their living environment and circumstances. As the mental health needs of long-term care residents are…

In commenting on the five articles in this special issue, this paper discusses (1) the concept of child and adolescent psychopathy, and whether adolescent psychopaths are qualitatively distinct from other young people; (2) the measurement of adolescent psychopathy; (3) the relationship between psychopathy and other personality dimensions; (4)…

This paper reports errors in the article "A Brief Actuarial Assessment for the Prediction of Wife Assault Recidivism: The Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment," by N. Zoe Hilton, Grant T. Harris, Marnie E. Rice, Carol Lang, Catherine A. Cormier, and Kathryn J. Lines (Psychological Assessment, 2004, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 267-275). On page 272,…

Readers construct at least 2 interrelated mental representations when they comprehend a text: a textbase and a situation model. Two experiments were conducted with recognition memory to examine how domain knowledge and text coherence influence readers' textbase and situation-model representations. In Experiment 1, participants made remember-know…

School psychologists spend between 40-60% of their time in assessment activities. Methods for improving the diagnostic process are addressed in this paper. Techniques mentioned to improve the process include the actuarial method, the multitrait multimethod approach to multifactored assessment, and direct instruction in reasoning and decision…

The Tell-Me-A-Story Apperceptive Test (TEMAS) is an individual apperceptive test, similar to the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) of personality assessment. The TEMAS is intended for use with children and adolescents ages 5-18 years old, and is marketed as a personality assessment tool for minority, primarily Hispanic and African-American, and…

The phenomenon of adolescent runaway behavior is of critical concern to mental health professionals. Conceptualization, prediction, and treatment interventions are of extreme importance. This study sought to build upon prior research by using the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC). Previous research indicated that adolescent running away…

This digest recommends assessing all of a person's abilities, not just some. It also discusses self-report in the context of ability assessment. Current use of self assessment methodology taps more ability areas than existing ability or aptitude tests cover. Alternative testing approaches have been called for which enhance self-discovery and…

Self-concept is one of the most popular ideas in psychological literature. Unfortunately, it is also an illusive and often poorly defined construct. Before attempting to assess self-concept, counseling practitioners or researchers must first clarify for themselves what they mean by "self-concept" and then choose a method or instrument…

School psychologists function as experts in the diagnosis of childrens' educational difficulties. Can the decision-making activities of school psychologists be characterized as expert? Practicing school psychologists (N=10) reviewed cases of children (N=120) being considered for placement in learning disabilities programs. A case consisted of 17…

The Youth Center Research Project studied the effectiveness of two different treatment programs with 983 adjudicated delinquents assigned by random procedures to two institutions, one of whose programs was based on transactional analysis and the other on the principles of behavior modification. (Author)