Clinical psychology review
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This paper critically reviews empirical findings regarding current key assumptions underlying the nature and treatment of depression which heavily rely on the DSM approach. This review shows that empirical evidence provides little support for these assumptions. In response to these findings, an etiologically based, biopsychosocial, dynamic interactionism model of depression is proposed. This model could foster further integration in research on depression and assist in the development of guidelines for the treatment of depression that are better informed by research findings and more congruent with complex clinical realities.
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This review summarizes the current meta-analysis literature on treatment outcomes of CBT for a wide range of psychiatric disorders. A search of the literature resulted in a total of 16 methodologically rigorous meta-analyses. Our review focuses on effect sizes that contrast outcomes for CBT with outcomes for various control groups for each disorder, which provides an overview of the effectiveness of cognitive therapy as quantified by meta-analysis. ⋯ Large uncontrolled effect sizes were found for bulimia nervosa and schizophrenia. The 16 meta-analyses we reviewed support the efficacy of CBT for many disorders. While limitations of the meta-analytic approach need to be considered in interpreting the results of this review, our findings are consistent with other review methodologies that also provide support for the efficacy CBT.
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Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem that has received increased attention in the military. We review existing literature regarding prevalence, consequences, correlates, and treatment of IPV perpetration among military veterans and active duty servicemen. Rates of IPV across these military populations range from 13.5% to 58%, with considerably lower rates obtained among samples not selected on the basis of psychopathology. ⋯ Additional correlates include military service factors, relationship adjustment, childhood trauma, and demographic factors. The only experimentally controlled IPV treatment study indicates that standard treatments are ineffective for active duty servicemen. Further research is needed to advance the development of etiological models of IPV among military populations, to determine whether such models necessarily differ from those developed among civilians, and to rigorously test IPV interventions tailored to the specific characteristics of these individuals.
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It has been suggested that a unique feature of some mental heath practitioners' work is exposure through their role as therapists to clients' descriptions of and reactions to trauma, and that these experiences may actually indirectly cause distress and traumatization to the therapist. This proposed phenomenon has been termed "vicarious traumatization" (VT) and is the focus of the current review. The concept of VT, together with other related concepts such as "burnout," "compassion fatigue," "secondary traumatic stress" (STS), and "work stress" are appraised. ⋯ It is concluded that the evidence to support the existence of VT is meager and inconsistent. Future research needs to be directed at distinguishing VT from other sources of distress arising within the workplace. Finally, the organizational relevance of VT and its possible implications for the management of mental health workers are critically appraised.
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The empirical literature pertaining to the prevalence, origins, and consequences of neglectful parenting as it relates to substance abuse is critically reviewed. Available evidence indicates that children who experience parental neglect, with or without parental alcohol or drug abuse, are at high risk for substance use disorder (SUD). The effects of parental substance abuse on substance abuse outcome of their children appear to be partly mediated by their neglectful parenting. The discussion concludes with presentation of a developmental multifactorial model in which neglect, in conjunction with other individual and environmental factors, can be integratively investigated to quantify the child's overall liability across successive stages of development as well as to map the trajectory toward good and poor outcomes.