Showed that Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scores for adolescent and adult victims of rheumatic fever (N=162) were generally lower than Mayo Clinic norms. Significant age effects confirm findings that adolescents score higher on the MMPI. Found patients without carditis scored higher than carditis patients, contrary to…

Assessed five alcoholism scales derived from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for their ability to classify accurately alcoholics and non-alcoholic psychiatric patients. The alcoholic group was divided into self-committed and court-committed. Depending on how the data were treated, found only one, or none of the scales accurate.…

A study examined the effectiveness of training simulated patients with self-instructional materials. A program of 8 videotapes and 10 sets of written materials was given to 54 trainees. Most felt their competence was increased, and trainers gave simulators with self-instruction higher ratings in evaluating students. (Author/MSE)

A physical diagnosis course is described that introduced an interviewing segment with patient simulation at a medical school where medical interviewing or communications skills were not in the required curriculum. Physicians' responsibility for the quality of the physician-patient relationships was stressed. (MSE)

An Iowa study examined whether increased medical knowledge affects medical students' interviewing skills in each or any year of medical school. Results suggest interviewing skills are not affected by increased knowledge about medical conditions but can be improved with technique training. (MSE)

Five hundred college students who had used Kent State University's School Health Service were surveyed to determine patient satisfaction with health care services. Overall satisfaction with the services was high, and satisfaction was significantly influenced by patients' perceptions of practitioners' technical competence and by the adequacy of the…

Investigated predictors of drug treatment retention of individual clients in terms of a contextual model. Found that the socioecological variables predicted the types of clients that entered treatment in terms of clinic level (aggregate) variables, and these predicted the corresponding individual level client variables and client outcomes. (Author)

Describes a unique body of psychosocial disorders, disorders of changes, that have been ignored as serious human problems with unhappy consequences. Suggests early identification of cases and outreach are necessary to treat these acute disturbances, which require multiple interventions with individuals, families, and systems. (Author)

More than 85 percent of the physicians surveyed indicated they are the initial informants to parents regarding the existence of a handicap and the information is immediately presented after birth to both parents, including specific diagnostic labels, possible causation, prognosis, and resources for the family. (Author)

Students evaluated "a typical person,""a patient seeking counseling," or "a client seeking counseling.""A typical person" was evaluated positively and "patient seeking counseling" was evaluated negatively, regardless of whether the students had previously sought counseling. Students who had sought counseling evaluated "a client seeking counseling"…

Depressed outpatients received treatment focusing on interpersonal skills, cognitions, or pleasant events. Patients received immediate treatment or delayed treatment. All treatment modalities significantly alleviated depression. All patients improved on most dependent variables, regardless of whether variables were directly addressed in treatment.…

The health locus of control scale was used to compare mastectomy patients who received counseling to patients not receiving counseling. Posttreatment group means in the locus of control were accounted for by changes on the fate subscale. Validity of this scale for populations characterized by different health problems is discussed. (Author)

Studied the generalizability of Jochim's Premature Termination (PT) scale. Using the recommended cut-off scores, 50 percent of the subjects were classified inaccurately or unclassifiable. The best cut-off score for this sample produced an error rate of 36.9 percent. Suggests directing attention to personality blends may maximize counselor and…

Results of this study indicate that at present employers are not ready to accept methadone maintained patients into their firms. The stigma placed on heroin addicts by employers is a very important issue when the treated patient tries to make it in the employment field. More employer education is needed. (Author)

A structured approach to group therapy was added to an alcoholic treatment program previously offering only unstructured insight-oriented groups. Participants in the interpersonal problem-solving group therapy were generally very active in all sessions. Participants reported actively utilizing their learning after leaving the treatment program, a…