Background: This study investigated whether providing self-directed and web-based support for parents enhanced the effects of viewing a reality television series based on the Triple P--Positive Parenting Programme. Method: Parents with a child aged 2 to 9 (N=454) were randomly assigned to either a standard or enhanced intervention condition. In…

Objective: Heavy episodic drinking remains a significant problem on college campuses. Although most interventions for college students are behavioral, pharmacological treatments, such as naltrexone, could provide additional options. Participants: The authors evaluated receptivity to various alcohol treatment options in a general population of…

"Forbes" recently reported that Americans spent $11 billion in 2008 on self-help books, CDs, seminars, coaching, and stress-management programs--13.6 percent more than they did in 2005. Why the uptick? According to a recent "Publishers Weekly" cover story, conventional publishing industry wisdom holds that personal improvement titles do very well…

Several randomised controlled studies have shown the efficacy of Internet-based self-help treatments. These studies have centred their attention on axis I (efficacy) of the Guidelines for Empirically Validated Treatments, although there are a few studies that also take into account axis II (effectiveness). The aim of the present work was to test…

There is increasing evidence to demonstrate that clients who complete homework assignments have a better outcome in cognitive therapy (Kazantzis, Deane, & Ronan, 2000). Most clinicians recognize that enabling clients to effectively utilize homework can be a major task in itself, particularly with disorders such as depression, where individuals…

Homework, or self-help, is an essential and required part of cognitive behavioral treatment. It offers several opportunities for the therapist to extend and increase therapy contact by having the patient "live" the therapy outside of the consulting room. It can also serve as a measure of the patient's motivation for therapy or for change. Homework…

Objective: Coping strategies of men who were sexually abused in childhood were examined to ascertain their relationship to clinical diagnoses. Time elapsed since the abuse occurred was examined for its relationship to psychological functioning. Clinical psychopathology of this primary sample of sexually abused men was compared to a community…

Many patients will either refuse to enter treatment or will drop out of treatment where exposure and response prevention (ERP) are employed. Patients may have a number of "good reasons" for noncompliance with ERP. For example, they may view their intrusions as conveying responsibility, reflecting higher threat, as personally relevant, and as…

Predictors and moderators of outcomes were examined in 75 overweight patients with binge-eating disorder (BED) who participated in a randomized clinical trial of guided self-help treatments. Age variables, psychiatric and personality disorder comorbidity, and clinical characteristics were tested as predictors and moderators of treatment outcomes.…

Examined effectiveness of 4 self-help books given randomly to 64 participants who had recently experienced divorce or breakup. Books were either behaviorally oriented, based on stage theories, or focused on general life crises. All groups significantly improved in depressive, general psychiatric, and loss-specific symptoms from pretest to posttest…

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been reviewed and described as an empirically supported treatment for anxious youth. One component of CBT is the use of out-of-session "Show That I Can" tasks (STIC; i.e., homework tasks). STIC tasks vary in content and are to be completed between sessions. We discuss homework in CBT for Robert, a 13-year-old…

The researcher analysed two women's uses of popular culture texts on the island of Hawai'i. They read these texts in order to learn about, and manage, their health problems. These vernacular texts were different from the institutional texts that were prescribed to them by their doctors, as well as the commercial ones that were in the literacy…

Interviews with 47 health professionals and 49 members of self-help groups identified their views of the roles of professionals in such groups and characteristics of and barriers to effective partnerships. Trust building, empathy, understanding, and balance of power emerged as important themes. (SK)

Examined role of home practice of hand warming in thermal biofeedback treatment of migraine headache. Seventeen female migraine sufferers were assigned to thermal biofeedback with or without regular home practice. Subjects on home practice group experienced decreases in headache activity and medication intake that were both statistically and…

On basis of literature review, distinguishes support groups from self-help and treatment groups. Proposes open systems model for understanding factors that affect support groups, for guiding interventions, and for evaluating their outcomes. Describes four conceptual dimensions: environmental conditions; participant group characteristics; group…