Journal of clinical psychology
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Group therapy for chronic pain management, particularly that using cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), has become a common treatment format. This article provides a rationale and framework for group CBT, including the research evidence and clinical considerations related to the practitioner and patient. We then present an example of group therapy focusing on the cognitive components of CBT for chronic pain. Examples from group therapy are used in order to illustrate the principles of optimizing the group approach in the context of cognitive therapy.
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This article considers assessment and treatment issues for mental health practitioners working with patients using opiate medications to treat chronic pain with a particular emphasis on their potential relationship to substance abuse. We review general opiate medications, including a discussion of medications with increased addiction potential. ⋯ Additionally, we examine the role of the mental health professional within this area and examine the incorporation of psychological interventions for patients using opiates. A case illustration includes several of these complicated issues of managing chronic pain with opiate medications.
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Attending a university for the first time can be a stressful experience for many new college students. This study examines the relationships among femininity and masculinity, depressive symptomatology, levels of stress, and the types of coping strategies used by college freshmen. ⋯ Further, the levels of family and college stress reported by college students, as well as their endorsement of avoidant coping, significantly predicted their levels of depressive symptoms. Overall, the results of this study suggest that understanding the relationships among the gender role, the levels of depressive symptomatology, and the levels of stress exhibited by college freshmen may be important in facilitating their transition and adjustment to university life.
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We have not seen the last of natural disasters; nor have we endured the last of the terrorist acts. This article offers clinical guidance in providing mental health services to families in the aftermath of such events. ⋯ Although based in established clinical practice, intervention with survivors of disasters is a different process from other treatments. A case illustrates the key principles and central methods of family therapy with a traumatized family.
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This manuscript describes the development and preliminary psychometric properties of a 28-item self-report instrument, the Body Influence Assessment Inventory (BIAI). The BIAI taps four dimensions of bodily experiences in the eating disorders area that are linked with suicide-related behaviors. Following the four phases of instrument development, four studies were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the BIAI. ⋯ In Study 4, Cronbach alpha estimates ranged from .81 to .90 for the BIAI scales. Results provided additional evidence of known-groups and concurrent validity estimates for the BIAI scales. The results suggest that the BIAI has good preliminary psychometric properties.