Search

Adolescents experiencing social anxiety often engage in safety behaviors--covert avoidance strategies for managing distress (e.g., avoiding eye contact)--that factor into the development and maintenance of their concerns. Prior work supports the psychometric properties of the Subtle Avoidance Frequency Examination (SAFE), a self-report survey of safety behaviors. Yet, we need complementary methods for assessing these behaviors within contexts where adolescents often experience concerns, namely interactions with unfamiliar peers. Recent work indicates that, based on short, direct social interactions with adolescents, individuals posing as unfamiliar peers (i.e., "peer confederates") and without assessment training can capably report about adolescent social anxiety. We built on prior work by testing whether we could gather valid SAFE reports from "unfamiliar untrained observers" (UUOs), who observed adolescents within archived recordings of these short social interactions. A mixed clinical/community sample of 105 adolescents self-reported on their functioning and participated in a series of social interaction tasks with peer confederates, who also provided social anxiety reports about the adolescent. Based on video recordings of these tasks, "trained independent observers" rated adolescents' observed social skills, and an additional set of UUOs completed SAFE reports of these same adolescents. Unfamiliar untrained observers' SAFE reports (a) related to adolescents' SAFE self-reports, (b) distinguished adolescents on clinically elevated social anxiety concerns, (c) related to trained independent observers' ratings of adolescent social skills within interactions with peer confederates, and (d) related to adolescents' self-reported arousal within these same interactions. Our findings support use of unfamiliar observers' perspectives to understand socially anxious adolescents' interpersonal functioning. [This paper will be published in "Behavior Therapy."]

To evaluate the fit of a confirmatory factor analysis model, researchers often rely on fit indices such as SRMR, RMSEA, and CFI. These indices are frequently compared to benchmark values of 0.08, 0.06, and 0.96, respectively, established by Hu and Bentler (1999). However, these indices are affected by model characteristics and their sensitivity to misfit can change across models. Decisions about model fit can therefore be improved by tailoring cutoffs to each model. The methodological literature has proposed methods for deriving customized cutoffs, although it can require knowledge of linear algebra and Monte Carlo simulation. Given that many empirical researchers do not have training in these technical areas, empirical studies largely continue to rely on fixed benchmarks even though they are known to generalize poorly and can be poor arbiters of fit. To address this, this paper introduces the R package, "dynamic," to make computation of dynamic fit index cutoffs (which are tailored to the user's model) more accessible to empirical researchers. "dynamic" heavily automatizes this process and only requires a "lavaan" object to automatically conduct several custom Monte Carlo simulations and output fit index cutoffs designed to be sensitive to misfit with the user's model characteristics. [This paper was published in "Multivariate Behavioral Research" v58 n1 p189-194 2023.]

Among individuals experiencing internalizing psychopathology, high levels of emotion reactivity--the degree to which they experience emotions strongly or intensely, over extended periods of time, and as elicited by a variety of stimuli--increase risk for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Researchers developed the Emotion Reactivity Scale (ERS) to assess emotion reactivity, with psychometric support for the measure largely restricted to at-risk clinical populations. We know little of the psychometric properties of the ERS when administered as a screening measure in community assessments. In a study of the psychometric properties of the ERS in a non-clinical assessment of adults, we recruited 105 participants (M[subscript age]=44.6; 82.9% female) as part of a larger study of adolescent social anxiety and family relationships. Participants completed the ERS, self-report measures of various psychosocial domains, and an impromptu speech task, before and during which they self-reported their arousal. Scores taken from the ERS demonstrated strong internal consistency and demonstrated facets of validity: (a) positive relations with measures of internalizing psychopathology and parent-adolescent conflict, and negative relations with a measure of quality of life (convergent validity); (b) relations with self-reported anxiety and safety-seeking behaviors, over-and-above self-reported depressive symptoms (incremental validity); and (c) relation with self-reported state arousal during the impromptu speech task, over-and-above self-reported arousal at baseline (criterion-related validity). These findings support the psychometric properties of the ERS when administered in non-clinic assessments of adults. As such, they have important implications for screening assessments designed to identify adults who display the potential for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. [This paper was published in "Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment" v41 p730-740 2019.]

Objectives: Socially anxious adolescents often display fears of negative evaluation (FNE) and fears of positive evaluation (FPE). The Bivalent Fear of Evaluation model posits that FNE and FPE represent two poles of socio-evaluative fears, and that individuals may simultaneously display high levels of FNE and FPE (high FNE/FPE). To what degree do adolescents who display high FNE/FPE differ in psychosocial functioning from adolescents who display high concerns on one domain and not the other (either high FNE/low FPE, or low FNE/high FPE), or low concerns on both domains (i.e., low FNE/FPE)? We tested this broader question (a) across multiple psychosocial domains, (b) using multiple informants' reports to identify adolescents' patterns of socio-evaluative fears, and (c) in relation to adolescents' reactions to anxiety-provoking social situations with unfamiliar peers. Methods: One-hundred twenty-seven 14-15-year-old adolescents and their parents completed measures of adolescents' FNE, FPE, and domains of psychosocial functioning (i.e., social anxiety, safety behaviors, depressive symptoms, psychosocial impairments). Adolescents participated in several social interaction tasks with unfamiliar peers. Adolescents self-reported on their arousal during these tasks and the unfamiliar peers with whom they interacted completed measures of social anxiety about the adolescent. Results: High FNE/FPE adolescents tended to display poorer psychosocial functioning relative to adolescents who displayed other patterns of socio-evaluative fears. Based on adolescent-classified groups, high FNE/FPE adolescents displayed greater self-reported arousal during social interactions, relative to the other groups. Conclusions: Identifying adolescents' patterns of socio-evaluative fears may inform interpretations of the individual differences among adolescents' clinical presentations of social anxiety. [This paper was published in "Journal of Child and Family Studies" v28 p3360-3373 2019.]

Accurately assessing youth mental health involves obtaining reports from multiple informants who typically display low levels of correspondence. This low correspondence may reflect "situational specificity." That is, youth vary as to where they display mental health concerns and informants vary as to where and from what perspective they observe youth. Despite the frequent need to understand and interpret these "informant discrepancies," no consensus guidelines exist for integrating informants' reports. The path to building these guidelines starts with identifying factors that reliably predict the level and form of these informant discrepancies, and do so for theoretically and empirically relevant reasons. Yet, despite the knowledge of situational specificity, few approaches to integrating multi-informant data are well-equipped to account for these factors in measurement, and those that claim to be well-positioned to do so have undergone little empirical scrutiny. One promising approach was developed roughly 20 years ago by Kraemer and colleagues (2003). Their Satellite Model leverages principal components analysis (PCA) and strategic selection of informants to instantiate situational specificity in measurement, namely components reflecting variance attributable to the context in which informants observe behavior (e.g., home/non-home), the "perspective" from which they observe behavior (e.g., self/other), and behavior that manifests across contexts and perspectives (i.e., "trait"). The current study represents the first "construct validation" test of the Satellite Model. A mixed-clinical/community sample of 134 adolescents and their parents completed six parallel surveys of adolescent mental health. Adolescents also participated in a series of simulated social interactions with research personnel trained to act as same-age, unfamiliar peers. A third informant ("unfamiliar untrained observer") viewed these interactions and completed the same surveys as parents and adolescents. We applied the Satellite Model to each set of surveys and observed high internal consistency estimates for each of the six-item "trait" ([alpha]= 0.90), "context" ([alpha]=0.84), and "perspective" ([alpha]=0.83) components. Scores reflecting the "trait," "context," and "perspective" components displayed distinct patterns of relations to a battery of criterion variables that varied in the context, perspective, and source of measurement. The Satellite Model instantiates situational specificity in measurement and facilitates unifying conceptual and measurement models of youth mental health. [This is the advance online version of an article published in "Frontiers in Psychology."]

The concept of internet addiction refers to the excessive use of internet which in turn causes various problems in individual, social and professional aspects. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between depression and internet addiction in terms of grades, sex, the existence of internet connection at home and time spent on internet. The study used survey model. The study group consisted of 369 adolescents from three high schools of different socio-economic background. Data was collected by means of "Personal Information Form", "Internet Addiction Scale" and "Beck Depression Inventory". Arithmetic mean, standard deviation, independent sampling t test, ANOVA and Scheffe tests were performed on collected data. The results of the study show that the internet addiction and depression scores of the adolescents are low and the internet addiction levels of ninth and tenth grade students compared to the eleventh grade ones; of males with compared to females; of those having computer at home with compared to the ones having no internet at home and of the ones spending much more time on internet with compared to those spending less time have been found to be higher. No significant difference has been found between depression and internet addiction.

In the present study, the effectiveness of 3 drug regimen on cognitive performance of PD patients was compared. 12 patients who had been using pramipexole, levodopa and amantadine for at least 1 month entered the study and compared with those 12 who had been using trihexiphenidyle, levodopa and amantadine. There was also a control group including 11 patients who had been using only levodopa and amantadine. All 3 groups were asked to answer Montreal Cognitive Assessment in pretest phase. Then patients in experimental groups were asked not to use pramipexole or trihexiphenidyle for 72 hours and then all 3 groups were asked to answer the same questionnaire in post test phase. The results showed that patients who have used pramipexole had better performance in executive functions in post test. The findings suggest that pramipexole in combination with levodopa and amantadine may worsen the executive function in Parkinson's disease; however, there is almost neither adverse nor beneficial effect of trihexiphenidyl in such a combination on cognition in PD patients.

Building upon earlier confirmatory factor analytic research that validated a second-order, three-factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory for Canadian and Swedish nonclinical adolescents, this study tested the factorial structure of the Swedish version of the instrument separately for 559 males and 537 females, and tested its measurement and structural equivalence across gender. Except for three minor discrepancies involving correlated errors, the hypothesized model best described the data for both males and females. Nonetheless, the imposition of equality constraints across sex revealed differences bearing on the measurement of six items, and latent construct relations involving the Somatic Elements factor. Four gender differences in factorial structure replicated findings for Canadian adolescents. Results have important implications for researchers, clinicians, and others whose interests focus on nonclinical adolescent depression. (Contains 35 references, 2 tables, and 1 figure.) (Author/SLD)

Logotherapy is a meaning-centered psychotherapy which focuses on both the meaning of human existence and the personal search for meaning. If the will to search for meaning is frustrated, "existential frustration" may result. This study validates the Existential Anxiety Scale (EAS) developed by Good and Good (1974). Basic principles of logotherapy are discussed and related research is reviewed. The materials used in this study include the EAS, the Purpose in Life (PIL) test, the Seeking of Noetic Goals (SONG) test, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and a demographic data sheet. The researcher chose multiple regression to test the significance of the combination of PIL, SONG, depression, drug use, and other demographic variable on high existential anxiety. It was hypothesized that high existential anxiety correlates with low PIL scores, high SONG scores, high depression, drug use, high sexual activity, fewer close friends, and lack of involvement in spiritual or religious activities. Results substantiated the hypothesis that high existential anxiety is significantly related to low PIL scores, high SONG scores, and high depression. No other hypotheses were substantiated. Contains 15 references. (RJM)

Working from a common data base and hypothesized model, this paper demonstrates and compares the EQS and LISREL computer program strategies in the analysis of a second-order factor model. Program similarities and differences are noted with respect to: (1) preliminary analyses of the data; (2) treatment of data that are not multivariately normal; (3) assessment of overall model fit; (4) identification of parameter misspecification; (5) post hoc model-fitting; and (6) tests for multigroup invariance. Data comprise scores on the Beck Depression Inventory for 658 (337 males; 321 females) nonclinical adolescents. Issues addressed should be of substantial interest to those unfamiliar with the two problems and/or the methodological procedures presented. Includes one figure and three tables. (Contains 37 references.) (Author/SLD)

This experiment investigated: (1) relationships among locus of control, attributional style, and depression; (2) if a depressogenic attributional style could be empirically isolated; and (3) if reliable relationships existed between attribution and depression when depression was operationalized using different instruments. Subjects completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Rotter's I-E Scale, the Attributional Style Questionnaire, and MMPI-2. Gender-combined analyses showed that an internal, stable and global attributional style for positive events was negatively correlated with depression, and that depression was positively correlated with locus of control, with these relationships reliable across measures of depression for females only. Factor analyses of gender-combined, female and male data yielded factors of depression, behavioral helplessness, and hopelessness. A female pessimism, and male optimism, factor also emerged. Results were discussed in relationship to learned helplessness, hopelessness, and sex differences in the prevalence of depression. (Author)

The intent of the present study was to test for the validity and equivalency of a second-order factorial structure of the Beck Depression Inventory for and across three independent samples (n1=661; n2=239; n3=196) of nonclinical Swedish adolescents; the model under study derived from a cross-validated study of Canadian high school adolescents (Byrne and Baron, 1993a). Model fitting, testing, and equating were based on the analysis of covariance structures within the framework of a confirmatory factor analytic model. Of major importance was the tenability of the hypothesized model for Swedish adolescents; only minor differences that involved correlated errors and one cross-loading (Sample 2) were evidenced. Results are expected to be of substantial interest to both researchers and clinicians whose concerns focus on depression as it bears on this population. (Contains 39 references, 1 table, and 4 figures.) (Author)

The concurrent validity and discriminant validity of 3 widely used measures of psychological functioning were evaluated using a large, heterogeneous sample of 188 male and 337 female adult community residents (aged 16-66 years) seeking counseling services at a midwestern university training clinic. Validity was assessed as the relationship between clients' stated presenting problems and diagnostic intake variables as measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS). Subjects also completed the Presenting Problem Checklist. Three multivariate analyses of variance were conducted. Results strongly support the validity of the BDI, provide partial support for the State and Trait subscales of the STAI, and provide only a limited amount of support for the TSCS. Implications of the results for the utility of these measures are discussed. Two tables present study data, and 49 references are included. (Author/SLD)

A study of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was conducted to: (1) test for the factorial validity of the French version of the BDI (BDI-FR) separately for 551 non-clinical Francophone adolescent males and 601 non-clinical Francophone adolescent females; (2) cross-validate findings across a second independent sample for each sex; and (3) test for equivalent factorial structure across gender for this population. Except for 1 differential factor loading for females (item 17), the hypothesized higher-order 3-factor structure was found to be tenable across validation samples and factorially invariant across gender. Although the presence of error covariances for females partially replicated a similar pattern for English female adolescents, results generally provide strong support for the psychometric soundness of the BDI-FR. Two tables and three figures are included. (Author/SLD)

Extending the earlier work of B. M. Byrne and P. Baron (1990), the factorial invariance of the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was tested using 351 non-clinical adolescent males and 334 non-clinical adolescent females. All subjects were in grades 9 through 12 and attended the same secondary school in a large metropolitan area in central Canada. Participants, who ranged in age from 12 to 18 years, completed the BDI and other assessment measures during one regular class period. All analyses were based on confirmatory factor analytic procedures within the framework of covariance structure modeling. Despite the differential loading pattern of Item 20 (hypochondria) for females, a three-factor structure that comprised one second-order general factor of depression and three first-order factors representing negative attitudes, performance difficulty, and somatic elements was found to be invariant across gender. Furthermore, except for two additional inventory items (items 8 and 10, self-accusation and crying, respectively), the remaining BDI measurements were group-invariant. The results are expected to be of substantial interest to both researchers and clinicians whose concerns focus on depression as it affects adolescents. A 40-item list of references is included. Two data tables and two figures are provided. Items comprising the BDI are appended. (RLC)

The aims of the present study were threefold: (1) to test for the equivalency of an hierarchical three-factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) across English and French versions for non-clinical adolescents; (2) given evidence of poor model fit, to validate the factorial structure of the BDI French version across three independent samples (n=336; n=435; and n=381, respectively) of French Canadian non-clinical adolescents using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures; and (3) to compare the factorial pattern of BDI measurement and structure across English and French versions of the BDI. The data comprised BDI French responses from 1,152 French Canadian high school students (551 males and 601 females) and BDI English responses from 685 English Canadian high school students (351 males and 334 females). Although both versions of the BDI were found to be best represented by a hierarchical three-factor structure, a differential pattern of loadings was evidenced for eight of the items. Except for three items, factorial measurement and structure related to the French BDI were found to be equivalent across two independent samples. Findings carry important implications for the interpretation of scores derived from both the English and French versions of the BDI in the measurement of depression for non-clinical adolescents. Four tables and two figures present study data. A 30-item list of references is included. An appendix lists items from the BDI. (Author/SLD)

Based on three independent samples of high school adolescents in central Canada, aged 12 to 18 years, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to identify, test, and cross-validate first-order and second-order factorial structures underlying the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Specifically, the study focused on: (1) determining an initial first-order structure of the BDI based on Group 1 (n=196); (2) postulating and testing alternative first-order structures using CFA procedures based on Group 2 (n=284), on the basis of EFA findings; (3) testing for the validity of a hierarchical structure that includes a single second-order factor of general depression; and (4) cross-validating plausible first-order and second-order structures across Group 3 (n=205) using double cross-validation procedures to identify models having the highest degree of predictive validity. Based on these three increasingly stringent tests of the BDI, the findings suggest that, for non-clinical adolescents, the most appropriate factorial structure comprises a higher-order general factor of depression, with three first-order factors--negative attitudes, performance, and somatic elements. Four data tables are included. (Author/TJH)

Fear of flying (FF) is an impairing psychological disorder that is extremely common in developed countries. The most effective treatment for this particular type of phobia is exposure therapy. However, there are few studies comparing imaginal exposure (IE) and virtual reality (VR) exposure for the treatment of FF. The present study compared the effectiveness of these two approaches using two manualized interventions based on the exposure technique. Patients with FF ("N" = 15) were randomly assigned to either VR ("n" = 7) or IE therapy ("n" = 8), consisting of a total of eight sessions: two assessment sessions (pre-treatment and after the real flight) and six exposure therapy sessions, which were conducted twice a week. During each exposure session, subjective perceived anxiety was measured every 5 min. Participants were also asked to sit through a real flight immediately after the treatment. The results showed no differences between the two treatments in relation to reduced clinical symptomatology associated with the FF, although participants in the VR group experienced less anxiety during the real flight after treatment. Furthermore, at 6-month follow-up, danger expectations and flight anxiety continued to decrease in participants who had received the VR exposure therapy, and four of these seven participants took at least one more flight. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

This study explored the differences between 110 working and non-working students in terms of mental health, academic achievement, and perceptions about student employment. Anxiety and depression were measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Academic achievement was measured by grade point average. Perceptions of student employment were determined using a job questionnaire. Data analyses revealed no significant difference in depression between working and non-working students; however, working students displayed more anxiety than non-working counterparts and reported more stress and fewer buffers. Unlike previous research, there was no difference in the grade point averages of working and non-working students, nor differences in perception of the problems and benefits of work.

Objective: Parent-child conflict, depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity have each been identified as risk factors for suicide ideation in college students. This study examined the relations among these risk factors and suicide rumination utilizing transition theory to guide the hypothesized relations. Participants: Undergraduate college students participated in this study in the spring of 2012 (January to May). Methods: Participants completed self-report measures of parent-child conflict, depressive symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and suicide rumination, among other measures. Hypothesized pathways and mediation were tested using path analysis. Results: Suicide rumination was positively and uniquely predicted by depressive symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and parent-child conflict. The relation between parent-child conflict and suicide rumination was, in part, accounted for by depressive symptoms and anxiety sensitivity. Conclusions: Results suggest that it would be advisable for clinicians to assess for students' conflicts with their parents in conjunction with their levels of depression and anxiety when assessing for suicide risk. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

This study examined the effect of art therapy on the cognitive performance of a multisite, ethnically diverse sample ("N" = 91) of older adults. Participants were recruited from several U.S. facilities that included a community center, a retirement center, an adult daycare, an assisted living facility, and a skilled nursing facility. Cognitive training strategies served as a framework for the study's 10-week art therapy intervention protocol. A "t" test and a univariate linear regression indicated, with a medium effect size ("d" = 0.064), that the art therapy treatment was associated with significantly improved cognitive performance. Other findings suggest that session duration and art therapy approach significantly correlated with improved cognitive performance.

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of positive peer reinforcement on self-reported psychological measures and songleading performance in beginning guitar students. No differences were found between the control group (n = 21) and the experimental group (n = 20) concerning psychological measures of self-esteem, stress, and depression. However, the experimental group receiving positive peer reinforcement performed significantly better on a measure of guitar songleading performance than did the control group (p less than 0.001). These results suggest that using positive peer reinforcement in a university music methods class can be an effective technique to improve performance but may not affect psychological well-being. (Contains 1 table.)

Nineteen adults who stutter participated in a 3-week intensive stuttering modification treatment program (the Successful Stuttering Management Program [SSMP]). A series of 14 fluency and affective-based measures were assessed before treatment, immediately after treatment, and 6 months after treatment. Measures included stuttering frequency; the Stuttering Severity Instrument for Children and Adults, Third Edition (SSI-3); a self-rating of stuttering severity; the Perceptions of Stuttering Inventory (PSI); the Locus of Control of Behavior Scale; the Beck Depression Inventory; the Multicomponent Anxiety Inventory IV (MCAI-IV); and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Statistically significant improvements were observed on 4 of the total 14 measures immediately following treatment and on 4 measures at 6 months posttreatment. Statistically significant improvements observed immediately posttreatment included scores on the SSI and the Struggle, Avoidance, and Expectancy subscales of the PSI. Sustained statistically significant improvements at 6 months posttreatment were observed only on client-reported perceptions of stuttering (the Avoidance and Expectancy subscales of the PSI) and 2 specific affective functioning measures (the Psychic and Somatic Anxiety subscales of the MCAI-IV). The SSMP generated some anxiolytic effects but was ineffective in producing durable reductions of core stuttering behaviors, such as stuttering frequency and severity. The discussion focuses on the strengths, weaknesses, and durability of the SSMP treatment approach.

The large number of college students suffering from depression and the undesirable aspects of current treatment practices suggest a need for new methods of treatment and prevention. Physical exercise has been suggested as an easily administered therapy which does not require close professional supervision. College students (N=18) who had sought professional help for depression participated in a study which compared the effectiveness of counseling therapy and running to counseling therapy alone. Subjects were classified as moderately to severely depressed on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The runners (N=9) ran three times a week for 10 weeks while engaging in therapeutic counseling. Non-runners (N=9) received only therapeutic counseling. Running combined with counseling therapy produced significantly greater decreases in depression than counseling therapy. The difference between the pre- and post-BDI scores and the counseling-only group was nonsignificant, indicating that the significant main effect for the treatment factor was due primarily to the difference between the pre- and post-BDI scores for the combined running and therapy group. (Author/NRB)

To assess depression in college students, two inventories were compared: the Student Experience Inventory (SEI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). SEI, a self-report questionnaire, contains 56 items that are designed to measure hopelessness and decreased energy levels, as well as five factors covered in BDI: (1) negative affect toward self, (2) negative physiological symptoms, (3) general unhappiness, (4) performance difficulties, and (5) loss of personal and social interest. Unlike BDI, SEI is worded to reflect specific, common college experiences, as well as the duality of phenomena (e.g., physiological reactions). SEI uses a counterbalancing of items to lessen the probability of response bias. Items within the SEI were analyzed using item-total correlations. The four items with the highest item-total correlations within each of seven subdomains were selected for inclusion in the SEI. Coefficient alpha was also computed to assess internal consistency, and a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was calculated to assess concurrent validity. The SEI appeared to measure a construct similar but not identical to the construct measured by BDI. The results suggest that further development of SEI may allow for the assessment of those aspects of depression specific to the college population. The SEI is appended. (SW)

The Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms (DIPS) was used to examine psychopathology in 30 therapy outpatients with histories of incest. Subjects also responded to the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Correlations were used to examine characteristics of the sample and to identify circumstances of their experiences of incest which significantly related to psychological adjustment. More severe psychopathology was found with brother perpetrators (who also used more force and violence) than with father perpetrators. Eating disorders were significantly more common in incest victims who had maintained secrecy about the incest, while disclosure significantly related to the absence of an eating disorder. The sample produced a mean Affective Depressed (AD)-Dissociative Disorder (DD) code type and a mean Neurotic Personality Disorder Cluster Diagnosis. The AD-DD code type was also the actual code type seen in 13 cases. This subsample experienced significantly more severe sexual violation than the remainder of the sample. As the experience of the most severe sexual acts also related to increasing symptoms related to the dissociative disorder, researchers inferred that more severe sexual violation is implicated in the use of dissociative coping strategies. (Author/TE)

The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a self-reported inventory tapping current feelings only. A short form was published in 1972 consisting of 13 items from the original BDI, called the BDI-SF. In 1978 the original version was modified to eliminate double negative statements and alternative ways of asking the same question and then referred to as the Beck Inventory (BI). The BI is designed to be self-administered, tapping feelings over the past week. The reliability of the 1978 version of the BI and BDI-SF were investigated using an elderly population (N=102) participating in a health promotion program. The internal consistency reliabilities were 0.87 for both forms. Five items on the long form were identified as commonly occurring in an elderly population without depression: weight loss, body image, irritability, loss of libido, and sleep disturbance. The psychometric characteristics of these items were investigated as was their relationship to the total score. Modifying the BI for the elderly to exclude these five items resulted in a 16-item version (BI-E) with an internal consistency of 0.88. Correlations between the BI-E and the other forms were 0.94 or more. Validity was examined through classification structures and correlational patterns with other mental and physical health parameters. (Author/ABL)

Compares assessment results of inpatients with alcoholism who have made a serious suicide attempt and a matched sample of inpatients with alcoholism who have no history of suicide attempts. Discriminant function analysis reveals that depression, social hopelessness, and socially prescribed perfectionism are unique discriminators of suicide groups. (Author/JDM)

Studied whether a source of depression in men (n=5) originated from conflicts in sex role expectations. Subjects completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Depression Coping Questionnaire, Bem Sex Role Inventory, and four drawings depicting their male roles and self-concept. Sex Role conflict was correlated to subjects' presenting problems at admission for depression. (SNR)