Frank M. Dattilio

Cognitive-behavioral strategies in crisis intervention

Beck, Foreword. Dattilio, Freeman, Introduction. Part I: Psychological Crises. Reinecke, Washburn, Becker-Weidman, Depression and Suicide. Dattilio, Kendall, Panic Disorder. Miller, Crisis Intervention Strategies for Treating Law Enforcement and Mental Health Professionals. Fusco, Freeman, The Crisis-Prone Patient: The High-Arousal Cluster B Personality Disorders. Part II: Medically Related Crises. Hibbard, Gordon, Kothera, Traumatic Brain Injury. Morgillo Freeman, Storie, Substance Misuse and Dependency: Crisis as Process or Outcome. Dattilio, Davis, Goisman, Crisis with Medical Patients. Morgillo Freeman, Acute and Chronic Pain. Part III: Child and Family Crises. Heflin, Deblinger, Child Sexual Abuse. Hamberger, Holtzworth-Munroe, Spousal Abuse. Schlesinger, Epstein, Couple Problems. Dattilio, Families in Crisis. Freeman, Timchack, Anger and Aggression in Children and Adolescents. DeVries, Ogland-Hand, Crisis with Older Adults. Part IV: Environmental and Situational Crises. McGinn, Spindel, Disaster Trauma. Hobfoll, Galai-Gat, Johnson, Watson, Terrorism. Meijers, Problem Solving in Crisis Intervention. Muran, Rape Trauma. Miller, Traumatic Stress Disorders. Part V: General Issues in Crisis Work. VandeCreek, Knapp, Legal and Ethical Issues in Crisis Intervention.

Cognitive-Behavior Family Therapy: Contemporary Myths and Misconceptions

The field of couple and family therapy has grown in the direction of expanding its horizons by looking toward innovative ideas and whatever works to facilitate change. Despite its demonstrated track record with a broad range of behavioral and emotional disorders, the cognitive-behavior therapies (CBT) may have been underutilized by couples and family therapists unlike some of the more traditional and postmodern approaches. This article explores some of the basic tenets of the cognitive-behavioral approach with families and proposes it as both a useful intervention tool as well as a theoretically compatible model to systemic approaches. In addition, a number of contemporary myths and misconceptions are discussed that may be precluding CBTs utilization by therapists in the field.

The Impact of Depressive Illness on Spouses of Depressed Patients

This study examines the impact of major depressive illness on spouses of depressed patients. The aim of the study was to attempt to conceptualize the gender differences in the manner in which spouses experience their partnera’s disorder. Forty-eight spouses of depressed patients (22 females and 26 males) and 48 married couples with no mental health diagnosis were selected to participate in this study. The occurrence of depressive symptoms was assessed through the use of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Thinking styles were assessed using the Rosenberg Scale (RS), Hopelessness Scale (HS), and the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ). Perception of the marital relationships was evaluated with the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) Results indicate more depressive symptomatology and distorted thinking patterns with the female spouses of depressed patients. The perceived quality of marital relationships by female spouses was rated to be poorer than that of male counterparts and controls. The results suggest that there exist clear differences in thinking style and perception of marital relationships between female and male spouses who are married to depressed partners.

Introduction to Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy has had a tremendous impact on the mental health field within the past decade as a result of its demonstrated effectiveness in understanding and treating the broad ranges of emotional and behavioral disorders (DeRubeis, Hollon, Evans, & Bemis, 1982; Dobson, in press; Epstein, 1982; Foreyt & Rathjen, 1979; Freeman, Simon, Beutler, & Arkowitz, 1989; Hollon & Beck, 1986; Holroyd & Andrasik, 1982; Jacobson, 1984), including medical disorders (Freeman & Greenwood, 1987; Hibbert, Gordon, Egelko, & Langer, 1986; Horan, Hackett, Buchanan, Stone, & Demchik-Stone, 1977; Kendall & Hollon, 1979; Weisman & Worden, 1979), the control of obesity and eating disorders (Clark & Bemis, 1982; Dunkel & Garlos, 1978), and group therapy for depression (Yost, Beutler, Corbishley, & Allender, 1986). Most recently, cognitive therapy has been applied to resolving marital discord (Beck, 1988; Dattilio, 1989; Dattilio and Padesky, 1990; Epstein, 1982; Margolis & Weiss, 1978); family problems (Epstein, Schlesinger, & Dryden, 1988; Dattillio, in press); and personality disorders (Beck, Freeman, & Associates, 1990; Young, 1990).

Board certification in psychology: Is it really necessary?

This article poses the question of whether specialty board certification in psychology is truly necessary. The article reviews the basic tenets of board certification and why it should become a requirement beyond the level of independent state or provincial licensing. In addition, the article presents some of the reasons why psychologists may have been reluctant to pursue board certification, as well as some of the pitfalls encountered in the process of becoming certified. Further discussion illuminates the need for psychologists to adhere to rigid requirements for credentialing and not to become prey to ersatz or so-called vanity boards.

Psicoterapia Cognitiva del Paziente Grave: Metacognizione E Relazione Terapeutica

Psicoterapia Cognitiva del Paziente Grave: Metacognizione e Relazione Terapeutica Antonio Semerari (Ed.). Milano, Rome: Raffaello Cortina Editore (www.raffaellocortina.it). 1999, 366 pp., 26, 86 Euro (softcover). Over the course of time, some of the worlds finest literature has gone unappreciated due to being penned in languages foreign to the reader. Unfortunately, not all great literature is completely translatable from its original tongue and hence, despite conceited efforts and skill, much may be lost in the process of translation. Even though there are many similarities between the romance languages (i.e., Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese), there is still much in the prose that would leave this work incomprehensible to the majority of cognitive-behavioral therapists outside of Italy. Consequently, only a minimal number of readers may benefit from the content which is a pity, since it is so very nicely prepared. The book, edited by Antonio Semerari, is titled Cognitive Therapy With Serious Patients. The editor recruited a number of seasoned and well-trained psychiatrists and psychologists who emanate from the renowned Center for Cognitive Therapy in Rome. This Center in Rome has earned both European and American recognition for its research and training programs. The editor and his contributors embark on the arduous task of applying cognitive therapy to patients with some of the more serious types of illnesses, which include personality disorders, psychotic states, and anxiety disorders. Using state of the art techniques in an overall metacognitive approach, the editor and contributors outline their dimensional approach for treating serious cases. The text addresses the topic from a metacognitive approach and is delineated in three sections. The initial section covers the theoretical references in which the concept of metacognition is boldly introduced and discussed. One area that is clearly highlighted is metacognition and the theory of the mind. In this section, the authors contend that metacognitions evolve from early cognitive development and are later shaped by the individuals perception of his/her life experiences. There is also a chapter that traces the synthesis of cognitive therapy with severely disturbed patients and focuses on treatment aspects that are elaborated in the second part of the text. The contributors also review some of the history of the constructive approach and how it dovetails with Aaron Becks work on personality disturbance. …

Restructuring Schemata from Family of Origin in Couple Therapy

The schemata that are often at the basis of resistance to change in couples who are experiencing dysfunction in their relationships are rooted in ingrained experiences from family of origin. The belief systems that underlie such experiences and are influenced by transgenerational dynamics often become galvanized as a result of early learning and the power of parental influence. This article focuses on some of the types of steadfast schemata that are transmitted from generation to generation and presents practical methods for restructuring them. The article also discusses the advantage of encouraging the members of a couple to be more tolerant of certain schemata in each other that may be less amenable to change.

True lies: delusions and lie-detection technology

Legally relevant lying is an intentional attempt to convince another of the truth of a proposition the liar believes to be false. Delusion is an unintentional product of impaired reality testing that occurs in a range of psychiatric conditions and psychological states, some of which could be clinically subtle. Since deception, truth and delusion differ in the intent rather than reality testing criterion. Deception and delusion are influenced by the degree of congruence between subjective and objective reality and are probably mutually exclusive. Thus, a delusion could lead to an objectively false statement, that could nevertheless be subjectively true and indistinguishable from truth by its psychophysiological (i.e., the polygraph) signature. This article presents a relevant case as a starting point of an examination of the current and future role of neurophysiological (i.e., functional brain imaging) measurements in the detection of deception. The authors incorporate the recent data on functional brain imaging to the neuroanatomical mechanisms of true and false recall, behavioral regulation and deception into a testable model that could redefine deception and separate it from delusions on the basis of objective functional brain imaging measures.

Emetic Exposure and Desensitization Procedures in the Reduction of Nausea and a Fear of Emesis

An emetic syrup was titrated according to a reduction schedule to recreate graduated levels of nausea in the exposure of a 34-year-old female who developed the fear of nausea and emesis (vomiting) after vomiting on stage during a piano recital. In this particular case, the patient was taught breathing retraining and anxiety-reduction techniques such as double swallowing, in addition to some imagery as a desensitization procedure to avoid reacting to nausea by vomiting. Results in similar case designs suggest that, at times, artificial methods such as the above may be used to create variations of a situation that cannot always be duplicated through pure imaginal exposure or during in vivo exposure, especially when the stimulus involves certain physiological responses such as a gastric regurgitation. A 2-year follow-up yielded no indication of relapse and a full return to prebaseline status.

Cognitive Therapy in the Year 2000

As this casebook comes to a close, two important aspects of the present volume have, we hope, become obvious. The first is the diversity of theoretical and technical positions represented by the contributors. It is interesting that there are differences of opinion, and a wide range of techniques that have come together under the broad banner of cognitive therapy. The second is the clear and active debunking of several of what Freeman (1986) and Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, and Simon (1990) have called “the myths of cognitive therapy.”