Marvin W. Kahn

Characteristics of Child Molesters Implications for the Fixated-Regressed Dichotomy

This study attempted to empirically validate the fixated-regressed typology used in the child sexual abuse literature. The sample consisted of 136 consecutive cases of convicted child molesters tried in Pima County, Arizona, over a 2-year period (1984-1985) for whom case history, MMPI, presentence reports, and police report data were collected prior to sentencing. Application of the criteria defining fixated versus regressed status yielded a unimodal and continuous distribution of child molesters rather than the bimodal distribution predicted by theory. In a multiple regression analysis, two independent variables (i.e., whether the victim and offender were related and an offenders prior non-sex-criminal record) significantly predicted an offenders degree of regression, and a third independent variable (i.e., offender age) approached significance. Alternative conceptualizations to the fixated-regressed typology are described, and implications for understanding child molesters are discussed.This study attempted to empirically validate the fixated-regressed typology used in the child sexual abuse literature. The sample consisted of 136 consecutive cases of convicted child molesters tried in Pima County, Arizona, over a 2-year period (1984-1985) for whom case history, MMPI, presentence reports, and police report data were collected prior to sentencing. Application of the criteria defining fixated versus regressed status yielded a unimodal and continuous distribution of child molesters rather than the bimodal distribution predicted by theory. In a multiple regression analysis, two independent variables (i.e., whether the victim and offender were related and an offenders prior non-sex-criminal record) significantly predicted an offenders degree of regression, and a third independent variable (i.e., offender age) approached significance. Alternative conceptualizations to the fixated-regressed typology are described, and implications for understanding child molesters are discussed.

The Papago Psychology Service: A community mental health program on an American Indian reservation

A community psychology service run by the Papago Indian tribe and staffed largely by Papago Indians who have been trained as mental health workers is described. This service is unique among mental health services for Indians in that the tribe has complete control of the funds for the service and sets its own policies. It was developed for a rather traditional Indian group, and the culture, the traditions, and the wishes of the Papago community were respected. Consultation with medicine men was built into the program from the start, and adaptation of mental health techniques to fit the culture is stressed. Before this clinic was established, few mental health resources were directly available to the reservation. Similar to other Indian tribes, the Papagos are economically disadvantaged, with an unemployment rate of over 50%, low educational attainment, and very high rates of alcoholism, suicide, and vehicular accidents. The topics covered are the tribes view of health programs for its people, the present Papago community and traditional means of treatment, traditional psychotherapy adapted to Papago culture, the indigenous Papago mental health worker, and the non-Indian professional consultant.

Children of South Sea Island Immigrants to Australia: Factors Associated with Adjustment Problems

Social-delinquent problem youth of South Sea Island immigrant to Australia parents, were compared to non-problem youth from the same circumstances, on family, sociocultural, personality, and substance abuse variables. Interviews and testing were done by members of their own community. A consistent pattern of differences most pronounced for males was found between the two groups although not all reached statistical significance. The problem youth compared to the non-problem youth tended to come from families somewhat lower in socio- economic level, somewhat less traditional in culture, and notably more prone to discipline by physical punishment than by verbal reasoning. The problem youth had significantly lower self-esteem, significantly higher maladjustment test scores, and significantly greater use and problems with alcohol and drugs. They were more alienated and had less clearly established direction for their future. Recommendations for remediation are considered.

Interpreter Bias on the Rorschach Test as a Function of Patients' Socioeconomic Status

Summary Hypotheses investigated were: Rorschach interpretation would indicate more negative and pathological factors for patients with lower-class, than for patients with middle-class social histories; and experienced interpreters would be less biased than inexperienced ones. Groups of experts (Fellows of the Society for Projective Techniques) and novices (graduate students) rated the same protocols; a) blind, b) accompanied by a lower-class history, c) accompanied by a middle-class history, on 21 objective scales. Addition of social-class information significantly influences judgments in the predicted directions. Much of the effect was attributable to the novice Rorschachers but the experts were not entirely free of the biasing effect.

Psychological Symptomatology in Spouses and Adult Children of Alcoholics: An Examination of the Hypothesized Personality Characteristics of Codependency

The concept of codependency has been advanced to explain certain psychological traits purported to be characteristic of spouses and adult children of alcoholics. To test the validity of this hypothesized syndrome, 97 female subjects living with either an alcoholic (SA), a psychiatric patient (SP), or dentistry patient (SD) were studied; approximately 50% of subjects had a positive family history (FH+) for alcoholism. All subjects were administered an extensive battery of psychological tests. The results revealed significantly greater levels of psychological symptomatology among the SA and FH+ subjects, in part consistent with the hypothesized symptomatology of codependency.

Developing a Community Mental Health Clinic On the Papago Indian Reservation

DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC ON AN INDIAN RESERVATION

Psychopathology, Treatment Outcome and Attitude Toward Mental Illness in Mexican American and European Patients

Lower socio-economic European American and Mexican American psychiatric in- patients were compared on degree of psychopathology, response to treatment and attitude toward mental illness and hospitalization. The Mexican American patients were proportionately under-represented, but did not differ from the European Americans in degree of psychopathology at admission nor in response to treatment — both groups showing a high degree of improvement by both MMPI and clinical judgement. However, the Mexican American patients did have a significantly more negative view of hospitalization and treatment, viewing it as controlling and restrictive which may account for their lower proportion in the patient population.

Developing a Community Mental Health Clinic On an Indian Reservation

DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC ON AN INDIAN RESERVATION MARVIN W. KAHN and JOHN L. DELK University of Arizona Developing a Psychological Services Clinic on an Indian Reservation where none had previously existed, is described. Among the economically, socially, and educationally disadvantaged peoples in the United States, American Indians stand second to none. Since disadvantaged groups have been found to have much higher rates of emotional and behavioural disturbance than advantaged peoples, the needs of Indians for psychological services are great. However, few such services for Indians exist. In developing a psychological clinic on the Papago Indian Reservation we found that the following were of crucial importance : (1) that the need for such services was recognised by tribal officials as well as by the outside health officials : (2) that clinic personnel were able to work effectively with Papagos, which required respect for and understanding of Papago culture, values, and personality characteristics ; (3) that the service model employed was functional in the face of language and cultural differences. It was found that a community consultation model employing indigenous mental health workers as well as other Papagos was operationally effective. Further, using Papago practitioners (medicine men) as professional consultants to the clinic or to the patient was advantageous in certain cases. Analysis of symptom and demographic characteristics of individual Indian patients who were seen by the clinic indicated that they tended to be young, to frequently come from broken homes, with depressive symptoms and school, alcohol abuse, and family problems the most frequent. DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC ON THE PAPAGO INDIAN RESERVATION MARVIN W. KAHN and JOHN L. DELK University of Arizona THE purpose of this paper is to describe the rationale and procedures that were involved in starting and developing what is now a very active and very well accepted psychological services clinic on an Indian reservation. Because there was previously no facility on that reservation and because the Papago Indian Tribe retains much of its traditional cultural beliefs and life style, it would seem that the experiences gained here may be of value for other situations where new mental health facilities are to be planned for a special sub-culture.

Substance misuse, emotional disturbance, and dual diagnosis in a meal-line population of mixed ethnicity

This study investigated the rates of severe substance misuse, severe emotional disturbance, and dual diagnosis in a meal-line population of mixed ethnicity, 75% of whom were homeless and the remainder near-homeless. Alcohol and/or drug use was reported by 93% and severe substance misuse was found in 39% of the population. Severe mental illness was found in 54% of the population. Both conditions, dual diagnosis, was found in 29% of the cases. A cluster analysis of the total population found three types: those with dual diagnosis (24.27%), those with serious substance misuse and personality disorder (39.3%), and those with neither severe disorder (37.3%). The ethnicity of the homeless individual was very weakly, if at all, associated with the disorders.

The effects of compensation on psychiatric disability

Psychiatrically impaired veterans who were receiving 100%, partial or no compensation for their psychiatric disabilities were compared on type and level of psychopathology, self-esteem, locus of control and treatment utilization. All groups were highly elevated on measures on measures of psychopathology. There were no differences between groups on psychopathology measures, except that the 100% group scored significantly higher than the uncompensated group on hostility. Differences in locus of control were not found. On 3 of 10 subscales, partially compensated patients reported higher levels of self-esteem than patients in one or both of the other groups. Uncompensated patients required the most hospitalization. Those who were receiving 100% disability compensation required less hospitalization and the number of days they spent in the hospital was significantly reduced following attainment of full compensation.