Journal of clinical psychology
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Assessment data from 118 Vietnam-era veterans seeking psychological services at two Los Angeles Veterans Administration Medical Centers were analyzed to examine the potential relationships between number of preadult and adult antisocial behaviors, as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III; American Psychiatric Association, 1980) criteria for antisocial personality disorder, level of combat exposure, and development of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that combat exposure level was related significantly to PTSD symptomatology, whereas number of preadult antisocial behaviors was not. ⋯ Results were consistent with a theoretical model of PTSD development that emphasizes the role of trauma vs. premorbid characterological factors. In addition, the significant association between combat exposure and adult antisocial behavior indicates that trauma may play a role in the development and/or maintenance of adult antisocial behaviors observed in some Vietnam veterans.
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Individual scores of discriminative tests can be connected to an estimate of the confidence of classification, which obviates the need for cutting points. Such estimates can be corrected for base rate conditions. It is suggested that, while base rates are largely imponderable, the prior probabilities of individual cases are not.
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The Seashore Rhythm Test has been reported to be sensitive to right hemisphere dysfunction and, in particular, right temporal lobe integrity. However, several reports have appeared that have failed to support these earlier findings. ⋯ Patients were studied prior to and subsequent to unilateral anterior temporal lobectomy for control of medically intractable seizures. No significant difference was found between right and left temporal lobe dysfunctional patients, either pre- or post-lobectomy, which further corroborates that the Seashore Rhythm Test does not discriminate between patients with right vs. left temporal lobe damage.
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Psychological kinship refers to valuing significant others as though they were members of one's own family. This construct has many implications for human relationships, including the client-therapist relationship (Bailey, 1988). ⋯ The Kinship, Love, and Liking scales were all sensitive to the cognitive sets and appropriately yielded higher mean values and higher correlations with the independent measures vis-à-vis the "closest family member" as opposed to "acquaintance." Significant sex differences were noted, with stronger correlation patterns for males than females. Overall, the Kinship Scale performed very well and shows considerable promise for future research.
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One hundred and ten outpatients with either acute or chronic low-back pain completed the McGill Pain Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Life Experiences Survey. Acutes and chronics did not differ on dimensions of pain, but significant correlations between pain dimensions and depression and state anxiety were found for chronics. ⋯ Combined scores on depression, anxiety, and negative life change predicted sensory and affective pain for the pooled sample. These results confirm the role of psychological variables in the experience of clinical pain and underscore the highly affective nature of chronic pain.