Determined adherence to relaxation practice of hypertensive patients (N=23) using tape recorders equipped with concealed adherence monitors. Results showed that subjects overreport their practice of relaxation and that the overreporting is greater during the last four weeks of practice. (LLL)

Evaluated 40 low back pain patients by a multidisciplinary team to identify the behavioral characteristics associated with functional and organic determinants of pain. Results indicated that behavioral observations of the orthopedists and the nursing staff revealed contrasting patterns of behavior for those patients classified as organic or…

Analyzed treatment outcome data for 102 headache patients who had been assigned randomly to receive either EMG biofeedback (N=70) or relaxation training (N=32). Analysis demonstrated that relaxation training was significantly more effective than biofeedback and that mixed headache patients improved significantly less than either migraine or…

Addressed normative aspects of recent Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory critical item sets in normals (N=123), inpatient alcoholics (N=383) and psychiatric inpatients (N=567). Results indicated that although pathological groups generally endorsed more critical items than normals, mean differences were not large. (LLL)

Little relationship was found between measures of therapist orientation and patient experience for the total sample. However, when patients were separated into more homogeneous diagnostic groups, some significant relationships emerged. The element of therapist orientation which had most impact on patient experience was therapists' acknowledgement…

Whether the Rorschach test was able to identify pathological expressions of narcissism was studied in 91 patients with Axis II mental disorder. Results suggest that the Rorschach can differentiate narcissistic personality disorder patients from a nonclinical sample and a sample from Cluster A ("Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental…

Used naturalistic, longitudinal study to examine predictors of emergence of major depression among 90 nondepressed patients with panic disorder. Twenty-four percent of sample experienced major depressive episode during two-year study. Adequacy and type of medication treatment were not associated with decreased risk. Past history of major…

States that psychoanalytic therapy is a conversation about the "good life" with particular moral aims. Argues that the analyst attempts to convince the analysand of the advantages of being a decentered social-constructivist who broadens her realm of self-acknowledgement and enriches her moral vocabulary. Concludes that this advocacy of…

Studied effects of loss of resources and illness symptoms on experienced anger, anger expression, and supporter's anger among patients (n=78) with severe chronic breathing disorder. Both illness symptoms and resource loss were related to greater anger. Angry feelings led to more angry behavior which resulted in increased anger of supporters.…

Assessed CAGE (first letters of keywords in series of 4 questions about drinking: cut down, annoyed, guilty, eye-opener), instrument in routine screening for alcohol problems among 687 patients of 2 primary care physicians. Results showed that CAGE instrument was useful screening device for identifying those with mild to moderate substance abuse…

Presents typology of hope sources for patients with life-threatening illness. Details 10 sources of hope, including 5 major sources of hope: religion, medical science, fallibilism, self-discipline, and renewal and deception by others (false hope). Divides hope sources into cognitive and behavioral dimensions. Examines varying hope orientations…

Examined relevance of clinical diagnosis of depression for explaining discrepant relationships of hopelessness and depression with suicidal ideation. Administered Beck Depression Inventory, Hopelessness Scale, and Scale for Suicide Ideation to 1,306 patients with mood disorder and 488 patients without mood disorder. Found that hopelessness was 1.3…

Joint protection, a self-management technique taught to people with rheumatoid arthritis, was used in a group education program. A crossover trial (N=35) was conducted. No significant changes in measures of pain, functional disability, grip strength, self-efficacy or helplessness occurred post-education, although this may have been due to the…

Examined the two-year test-retest reliability of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (R. Hare, 1991)(PCL-R) in 200 men and 25 women methadone patients. Stability of the PCL-R was generally good, but the measure was somewhat more reliable as a continuous measure than a dichotomous measure. (SLD)

Analysis of four transcripts of genetic counseling sessions shows how Jarvis' model of contemplative learning helps elucidate the process genetic clients undergo. The model can be applied in other areas of health care involving patient learning. (SK)