R. W. Burgoyne

A prospective psychological study of 50 female face-lift patients.

Fifty female face-lift patients were evaluated preoperatively with psychological tests and psychiatric interviews. Their postoperative psychological courses were studied for up to 6 months. Approximately 30% had postoperative depressive reactions. These reactions were primarily correlated with a preexisting, clinically detectable depression, high depressive Beck scores, or a depression-prone personality pattern. There was no statistical correlation between postoperative depressive reactions and magical expectations, post-operative complications, marital status, recent bereavement, relationships with spouse and family, or concerns about death. Preoperative depression scores were often transiently intensified postoperatively, but usually eventually stabilized at a level lower than the preoperative scores. Many women showed postoperative psychological improvement. Twenty-eight percent had an increase in self-esteem, 8% felt better able to cope with life, and 8% were more assertive and confident in their work. The desire to improve self-image and to advance in a career were reasonably reliable predictors of psychological improvement.

A report on the use of movement therapy for chronic, severely disabled outpatients

Movement therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which the therapist utilizes movement interaction as the primary means for accomplishing therapeutic goals. The model utilized in the movement therapy sessions designed for this experiment extrapolates those ingredients from movement that enable the individual to move toward healthier functioning. The more there is increased ability to move very quickly or slowly, very forceably or softly, and to make small or large movements, the greater the increase in health. Movement therapy sessions were integrated into the treatment program by two movement therapists, Ms. Moredock and Snyder, at the request of the attending physician, with the intention of providing the patients with an additional mode of therapy an adjunct to their weekly verbal group sessions and/or private verbal therapy. It was hoped that through the medium of movement the patients would have a new type of meaningful experience that would relate to other forms of therapy and contribute to self-understanding and insight. Gunning (1) showed dance therapy? with schizophrenic children produced changes in movement. He did not investigate psychological changes. Blankenberg (2) studied movement therapy in schizophrenics and noted they liked baroque dances best. He thought baroque dances were manneristic as were schizophrenics. Hunt and Weber (3) observed that EMG and Rathbone Muscle Tension tests correlated at better than 0.01. Townsend et al (4) noted biofeedback training decreased electromyographic potential, mood disturbance and trait anxiety. Sandel (5) shows how dance therapy can be “effectively integrated” into an existing psychoanalytically oriented residential treatment facility. We compared State-Trait Anxiety Inventory scores (6) and the Rathbone Muscle Tension test (7) in an experimental and control group of patients before and after receiving 16 weeks of movement therapy.

Cultural Problems in Psychiatric Therapy: Nine Years Later

This article presents the clinical experiences of a unique intercultural psychiatric treatment setting in Los Angeles, California. Information regarding treatment modality and outcome is reviewed.

Observed psychotherapy: What the patients say about it.

While educators generally consider demonstration psychotherapy to be useful, its effect on patients has been insufficiently studied. Several years of experience suggests that observation through a one-way mirror only minimally influences the process of dynamic, insight-oriented psychotherapy. This was confirmed by a survey of the attitudes and evaluations of 18 former demonstration patients obtained by semistructured follow-up interviews. Seventeen of these 18 neurotic or character-disordered patients believed their observed therapy had been valuable. Five thought observation significantly altered therapy, one negatively. Questions of treatment outcome, alteration of process, projection, elaboration of affect-laden material, withholding, exhibitionism, and other related topics were surveyed and are discussed as they relate to observed psychotherapy. Precautions regarding structure and professionalism are recommended for implementing this effective teaching method. Therapists and observers are more concerned about the negative effects of observation than are patients, and, in general, more than is warranted.