Daniel O. Taube

The Prospects and Limitations of Compulsory Treatment for Drug Addiction

During the 1980s, social scientists and policy makers have been examining the different kinds of pressures that affect the behavior of drug addicts, and have been discussing how these pressures may be better managed to get addicts into treatment, to change their drug-related behaviors during treatment, and to maintain these changes following treatment. This article reviews the pressures inherent in the legal, social, and treatment systems of the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany, and discusses the utility of combining elements of the legal and treatment systems. The article presents six propositions summarizing the conclusions reached at a conference regarding the assessment and use of pressures in addiction treatment. The article also presents the final recommendations that were made. It was concluded that the present lack of knowledge about the effectiveness of compulsory treatment raises ethical, as well as practical questions. Although compulsory treatment is a tempting solution to the drug addiction problem, a complete social policy analysis of the use of coercive pressure must be undertaken before acceptance would be appropriate. Compulsory treatment must be judged not in terms of moralistic ideas or political expediency, but in terms of the entire range of treatment policy options.

Training in Interpersonal Problem Solving (TIPS)

This article describes a recently developed program, Training in Interpersonal Problem Solving (TIPS), for drug addicts and alcoholics. The cognitive-behavioral foundation of the program is reviewed, as is the literature on prior applications of this approach. Initial findings regarding the effectiveness of this new program are also presented.

The Status of Psychologists' Training About and Treatment of Substance-Abusing Clients

A random survey of 1,200 psychologists (with a 62% response rate) indicated that most psychologists (91%) are to some degree involved in clinical practice with substance abusers, although most have no formal education (74%) or training (54%) in substance abuse. Relevant recommendations are made.

An Immediate and Long-Term Study of a Temperament and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Based Community Program for Preschoolers with Behavior Problems.

ABSTRACT The immediate and long-term effects of a Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) derived program offered at a Kaiser Permanente facility were evaluated. There were 73 participants in the initial sample and 23 in the 5–6 year follow-up sample. Child behaviors improved significantly immediately following treatment and some improvements were maintained at follow-up. Over 75% of the follow-up participants utilized additional therapy services following completion. Thus, sustained improvements may have been related to posttreatment services. Parent appraisals of their childs behaviors appeared to be as important as actual child behaviors when behavioral improvements were assessed. The benefits of this modified PCIT program are discussed.

Portable Digital Devices: Meeting Challenges to Psychotherapeutic Privacy

Portable digital devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and netbooks, now permeate our society. These devices allow substantial efficiencies in access to and communication of information by mental health professionals. They also bring with them risks to psychotherapist–client privacy. This article reviews these threats and offers suggestions as to their mitigation.

When is differential treatment discriminatory? Legal, ethical, and professional considerations for psychology trainees with disabilities.

PURPOSE A supervisor may tell graduate trainees with obvious disabilities to disclose the disability to potential clients. Legal and ethical guidelines only partially address whether this requirement is permissible. Here we examine such disclosures from several vantage points. BACKGROUND Professional judgments guide supervisors in deciding whether to request that a trainee disclose a disability. The law provides little guidance to supervisors in making this decision. Instead, professional ethics and beliefs about disability drive decisions, and these beliefs may be prejudicial. METHOD In this article, we examine whether it is good practice for a supervisor in a practicum or internship to require a trainee with an obvious disability to disclose the disability to potential clients before the first meeting so that the client has freedom to request a different therapist. We use this situation to examine the pertinent legal standards; ethical guidelines; and clinical, professional, and social justice issues. CONCLUSION The requirement of disclosure may not be in the best interests of the client and has deleterious repercussions for trainees with disabilities, their peers, and the profession. Unless addressed without prejudice, differential treatment becomes discriminatory and is an obstacle to successful completion of professional education by trainees with obvious disabilities.