Rosemery O. Nelson-Gray

An overview of self-monitoring research in assessment and treatment.

Although widely utilized within clinical assessment, self-monitoring has received little direct research attention since the early 1980s. The assessment and treatment functions of self-monitoring are described and illustrated in this article. As an assessment method, self-monitoring can provide valuable information for diagnosis, target behavior selection, functional assessment, and treatment monitoring. Research findings delineating variables known to influence the accuracy and reactivity associated with self-monitoring are reviewed. Some suggestions are made for additional research that might be conducted regarding self-monitoring accuracy, effects on clients, and utility within treatment.

Anxiety and depression symptoms in psychometrically identified schizotypy.

The neurodevelopmental vulnerability for schizophrenia appears to be expressed across a dynamic continuum of adjustment referred to as schizotypy. This model suggests that nonpsychotic schizotypic individuals should exhibit mild and transient forms of symptoms seen in full-blown schizophrenia. Given that depression and anxiety are reported to be comorbid with schizophrenia, the present study examined the relationship of psychometrically defined schizotypy with symptoms of depression and anxiety in a college student sample (n=1258). A series of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor solution of positive schizotypy, negative schizotypy, and negative affect provided the best solution for self-report measures of schizotypy, anxiety, and depression. As hypothesized, the model indicated that symptoms of depression and anxiety are more strongly associated with the positive-symptom dimension of schizotypy than with the negative-symptom dimension. This is consistent with studies of schizophrenic patients and longitudinal findings that positive-symptom schizotypes are at risk for both mood and non-mood psychotic disorders, while negative-symptom schizotypes appear more specifically at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Personality disorders and depression: Hypothetical relations, empirical findings, and methodological considerations

Abstract Concurrent personality disorders are frequently observed among depressed persons. Studies reporting the prevalence of personality disorders in depressed samples generally suggest a 30% to 70% comorbidity rate. The comorbidity of personality disorders and depression is an important area for consideration, as this association has implications for the assessment of depression and personality disorders, treatment choice and outcome, and treatment outcome evaluation. This article reviews the various hypotheses concerning the relationship between personality disorders and depression, summarizes findings from the literature pertaining to this relationship, and discusses relevant methodological considerations. The association between borderline personality disorder and depression is highlighted to illustrate some of the pertinent conceptual and methodological issues. Clinical implications related to the association between personality disorders and depression as well as suggestions for future research are delineated.

Prediction of dysfunctional job behaviors among law enforcement officers

This study examined the predictability of dysfunctional job behaviors among law enforcement officers using 3 scales (Responsibility, Socialization, and Self-Control) of the California Psychological Inventory (H. G. Gough, 1995) that were hypothesized to assess the construct of conscientiousness, and 3 construct-oriented life history indices (drug use, criminal, work). Law enforcement officers were classified into disciplinary and control groups (n = 109 each), using a matched-case control study design. Mean differences between the 2 criterion groups on the 6 predictor variables were all statistically significant and in the hypothesized direction. The results are discussed in the context of conscientiousness as an explanatory construct, the relationship between life history and personality constructs, and methodological concerns in the development of construct-oriented life history indices.

Reactions of dysmenorrheic and nondysmenorrheic women to experimentally induced pain throughout the menstrual cycle

It has been proposed that dysmenorrheic women have a heightened pain sensitivity compared to nondysmenorrheic women, although previous studies investigating this hypothesis have yielded conflicting results. This study investigated the pain sensitivity of nondysmenorrheic women and of women suffering from spasmodic, congestive, and combined dysmenorrhea, across three phases of the menstrual cycle: premenstrual, menstrual, and intermenstrual. No interaction between type of dysmenorrhea and menstrual phase was found for either pain threshold or pain tolerance, using three procedures of experimentally induced pain. On a self-report measure of pain, however, the congestive and combined dysmenorrheics reported the highest degree of pain and distress, especially during the premenstrual and menstrual phases; nonsufferers reported the lowest degree and were stable across phases.

Dexamethasone suppression test and response to cognitive therapy and antidepressant medication

This study utilized 43 female subjects, diagnosed with Major Depression, with 20 showing an abnormal pre-treatment response to the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and 23 showing a normal pre-treatment DST response. Half of the subjects in each group were randomly assigned to receive eight weekly sessions of cognitive therapy or eight weeks of tricyclic medication. The main conclusions were: (a) the DST did not predict differential treatment responsiveness, with both groups of subjects improving with either cognitive therapy or tricyclics; (b) the DST was useful prognostically in that depressives with an abnormal DST had a poorer response to either treatment; (c) both treatments produced a normalization of post-treatment DST responses; (d) both treatments produced a reduction in post-treatment dysfunctional thoughts with cognitive therapy producing a greater reduction; (e) there was a high correlation (0.74) between pretreatment DST response and presence versus absence of melancholic symptoms; (f) all results found when subjects were classified by DST response were replicated when subjects were re-classified as to presence or absence of melancholic symptoms.

An analysis of reinforcement sensitivity theory and the five-factor model

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) and the Five‐Factor Model (FFM) are two prominent personality accounts that have emerged from different backgrounds. Although the two accounts are applied to similar research topics, there is limited empirical work examining the correspondence between them. The current study explored the relationship between RST‐based personality traits and the FFM domains and facets in an undergraduate sample (n = 668). Regression analyses indicated that Sensitivity to Punishment (SP) was positively associated with Neuroticism and Agreeableness, and negatively associated with Extraversion, Openness, and Conscientiousness. In contrast, Sensitivity to Reward (SR) was positively associated with Extraversion and Neuroticism, and negatively associated with Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Exploratory analyses at the facet level specified the relationship between SP, SR, and each domain. A factor analysis was also conducted to explore the higher‐order factor structure of RST and the FFM domains. Three factors emerged, which we labelled SP, Stability‐Impulsivity, and Sensation Seeking. Taken together, these findings suggest that there is substantial overlap between these two accounts of personality. Copyright

An examination of the relationship between behavioral approach system (BAS) sensitivity and social interaction anxiety.

BACKGROUND Both behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and behavioral approach system (BAS) sensitivity have been proposed to play a role in social anxiety; however, findings concerning the relationship between BAS and social anxiety have been mixed. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that low levels of BAS may only be associated with the social interaction subdimension of social anxiety. METHOD Measures of BIS, BAS, social interaction anxiety, and social observation anxiety were administered to three large analogue samples. RESULTS As hypothesized, BAS was inversely related to social interaction anxiety, but was unrelated to social observation anxiety across all three samples. In addition, individuals with generalized social fears were found to report both higher levels of BIS and lower levels of BAS compared to individuals with few or specific social fears. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that a complete motivational account of generalized social anxiety should include both BIS and BAS.

Measuring homework compliance in cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescent depression : Review, preliminary findings, and implications for theory and practice

Despite the importance placed on completion of extra-session homework in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a review of the available literature suggests there is much about the nature of homework compliance that remains to be empirically evaluated. This is especially true among youth receiving CBT. The present study begins to address how best to measure homework compliance and offers a fine-grained, single-case analysis of homework compliance during acute treatment with depressed adolescents. The results demonstrate that 56% of homework assignments were completed. Also observed was substantial within-subject temporal variability in homework compliance and a tendency for compliance to decrease during the course of treatment. These data call into question the adequacy of any static aggregate measure of homework compliance and have implications for both researchers and clinicians.

Sensitivity to aversive events in depression: Antecedent, concomitant, or consequent?

This study tested whether sensitivity to aversive events is a concomitant versus antecedent/consequent of depression. Twenty currently depressed subjects, twenty subjects with remitted depression, and twenty control subjects completed psychophysiological and learning tasks involving aversive components. Both currently depressed and remitted subjects, when compared to control subjects, exhibited greater decreases in skin resistance response reactions to negative social scenes and a greater sensitivity to extinction in the learning condition involving an aversive component. The fact that the responses of remitted subjects were very similar to those of currently depressed subjects on both tasks is consistent with the view that sensitivity to aversive events is an antecedent or consequent of depression, as opposed to being only a concomitant. The results also provide some support for the passive avoidance model of depression.