Objective: Despite substantial progress in the development and identification of psychosocial evidence-based treatments (EBTs) in mental health, there is minimal empirical guidance for selecting an optimal "set" of EBTs maximally applicable and generalizable to a chosen service sample. Relevance mapping is a proposed methodology that…

Although the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on the Treatment of Panic Disorder endorsed the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), D. F. Klein argues that fatal flaws in all but one CBT study undermine claims about the effectiveness of CBT for panic disorder. This article critiques Klein's arguments and…

Criticisms included: confounding of behavioral treatments, unsystematic administration of primary and secondary reinforcers, lack of clarity concerning the therapist's role, absence of behaviorally based pretreatment and posttreatment measures, inadequate and unsupported definition of awareness, and the use of subjective and retrospective parental…

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.…

Past and present therapeutic orientations, amount and adequacy of training, areas of specialization, and work settings were examined. Results showed that training is most adequate for those who use psychodynamic approaches and least adequate for those who use techniques bearing on social, cultural, and environmental aspects of mental health.…

Responds to criticism of a method for analyzing genuine and simulated suicide notes. Claims that the critique is based on an inflexible and unnecessarily limited model of scientific psychology as a purely theory-driven enterprise. Discusses problems associated with such a limited view and addresses methodological and logical criticisms. (RJM)

A description of a mediational model to explain the effectiveness of desensitization and a discussion of the available corroborative research findings for this alternative explanation are given. Also, specific procedural modifications for systematic desensitization are suggested. (Author)

A Stimulus satiation technique and gradual reduction approach were compared to a cold turkey approach and a taste aversion technique (special pill to create cigarette aversion). All showed substantial initial reduction, but considerable relapse at a six month followup. (CJ)

Discusses methodological problems involving use of MMPI by reviewing past literature. MMPI is so easily used that it is sometimes misapplied or data obtained from it are incorrectly analyzed by researchers unfamiliar with its limitations or peculiarities. Suggestions for improving research design are made. (Author/BEF)

Argues that research on child psychopathology would benefit from reduced influence of adult treatment models and from applying developmental perspective to clinical research on children. Research needs, including need to devise and use well-standardized measures and to evaluate interactions between subject and treatment variables, are suggested.…

A package treatment program to reduce cigarette smoking was compared to a single treatment condition. Following treatment and posttesting, booster sessions were introduced. The package condition produced higher abstinence rates and lower percentages of baseline smoking after six months than other treatment conditions. Booster sessions had no…

Although recent studies are well designed, treatments remain ineffective. Treatment ineffectiveness may be due to insufficient pilot (clinical) work and premature freezing of techniques into group programs. Process variables must be shown to effect outcome. Problems involved in verifying smoking rates are also discussed. (Author)

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.…

Examined drug preferences of a group of active multiple drug abusers referred for treatment. Nearly half the respondents preferred drugs other than type they most frequently used. Preferences were related to method of administration. Results suggest preference is one among several determinants of drug use. (Author/BEF)

Compared self-administered and examiner-administered depression adjective check lists. Half of each form was administered in standard manner and half was read by examiners to psychiatric inpatients. Analysis revealed no significant effects for vocabulary, sex, or method of administration. Results support examiner-administered method in cases of…