Search

As the psychology field moves towards establishing more evidence-based treatment (EBT), the applicability of EBT for different racial and immigrant groups (i.e., African American, Asian Americans and Pacific Islander, and Native American/Native Alaskan) is paramount. The current paper highlights the process of culturally adapting an EBT group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for use with Haitian American adolescents diagnosed with depression. Overall the main objective of this project was to culturally adapt the Adolescent Coping with Depression Course (ACDC) to ensure that it includes cultural factors that are likely to engage and retain Haitian adolescents in mental health treatment. The paper summarizes the cultural training of the focus group leaders, the focus group sessions with a group of Haitian middle-school students, and the feedback received from the participants regarding the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 'Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy' (CBASP) is a form of psychotherapy specifically developed for patients with chronic depression. In a study in the U.S., remarkable favorable effects of CBASP have been demonstrated. However, no other studies have as yet replicated these findings and CBASP has not been tested outside the United States. This protocol describes a randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of CBASP in the Netherlands. Methods/Design: The purpose of the present paper is to report the study protocol of a multisite randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of 'Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy' (CBASP) for chronic depression in the Netherlands. In this study, CBASP in combination with medication, will be tested versus usual secondary care in combination with medication. The aim is to recruit 160 patients from three mental health care organizations. Depressive symptoms will be assessed at baseline, after 8 weeks, 16 weeks, 32 weeks and 52 weeks, using the 28-item Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology (IDS). Effect modification by co morbid anxiety, alcohol consumption, general and social functioning and working alliance will be tested. GEE analyses of covariance, controlling for baseline value and center will be used to estimate the overall treatment effectiveness (difference in IDS score) at post-treatment and follow up. The primary analysis will be by 'intention to treat' using double sided tests. An economic analysis will compare the two groups in terms of mean costs and cost-effectiveness from a societal perspective. Discussion: The study will provide an answer to the question whether the favorable effects of CBASP can be replicated outside the US. Trial Registration: The Dutch Cochrane Center, NTR1090. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the much-misunderstood Tarasoff decision that requires psychotherapists to protect third parties from patients' violent acts. Through a normative approach, the paper analyzes four important issues: what to do when potential victims are unknown; what to do about the fact that the patients' potential for violence may be incorrectly perceived; the value of warning potential victims; and, the problem of discharging potentially violent patients from the hospital. The author proposes that the courts adopt a more flexible substantial departure test in most cases that involve psychiatric negligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]